Ties that bind
by Kira Gamble
Summary: Godric and Salazar have been hiding in plain sight for most of their lives. Now is the time to take action. The return of the Dark Lord threatens to destroy everything they know, but nobody believes the boy who desperately tries to warn the world. Except for them. The time has come for them to return to Hogwarts, the place where it all started. Takes place during Harry's 5th year.
1. All roads

Ties that bind

Hello again! First off, this story is in no way related to my other story Genesis, although the Salazar and Godric from this story share some traits with their Genesis counterparts. This story takes place during Harry's fifth year.

As always, let me know what you think! Reviews keep the juices flowing :-).

1: All roads...

The broad shouldered redhead entered the apartment completely silently, feeling the wards tickle at the edge of his magical senses as he carefully pushed the door shut and shrugged out of his jacket. A small smile played at his lips at the sight of the rig and two gun holsters already hanging from the coatrack where one might expect another simple coat, or in a wizard's home most likely robes, and he fingered the weapons reverently before stepping off the mat on socked feet and padding down to the living room. It was the middle of the night, and as he'd suspected, his partner was laying sprawled out on the couch and fast asleep, his long silvery white hair fanned around him in a halo as it was touched by the moonlight coming in from the window. The association between his partner and an angel made him grin ruefully, and he continued to watch the other man's chest rise and fall in sleep in quiet contemplation. He knew that if it had been anyone else that had passed through the wards, he would've had a weapon pointed at him before he could have even gotten this far, but as it was, he could walk in without challenge and after a moment he took the opportunity to slip into the kitchen to make himself a coffee. After today, he sorely needed one.

It didn't take long for the sound of the coffee machine to accomplish what he had not, and he looked over his shoulder as the other man joined him in the kitchen. The older man looked haggard, and in pain, and as always he regretted not being able to heal him as he went over to help his partner sit down at the kitchen table, taking mental note of the stiffness with which the other man moved instead of his usual lethal and catlike grace. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he crouched down in front of the chair and the older man caught his breath, taking in the sight of him now that he wasn't keeping up the glamours hiding his true appearance.

Muggles tended to react quite negatively to anyone looking as unnatural as Salazar did, which meant he always cast extensive glamours before leaving the house, so he only got to see Salazar like this when they were within the safety of one of their numerous homes or around other wizards.

Salazar breathed a short bark of laughter at the familiar question, running a hand through his messy silvery white fringe as he looked up to meet Godric's eyes. Those grey irises tended to unsettle people, their paleness ringed by a darker grey making his gaze almost wolfish, but Godric had long found those eyes to be capable of great warmth. "Better. But you know this." And he did, almost a thousand years of travelling together made you get to know one another pretty well…

Nevertheless. "Let me see."

Salazar sighed, but obliged by lifting up the tight black tanktop he was wearing, revealing his left side to be covered in bruises and healthy pale skin stretched taut over his abdomen where a few days ago there had been a mess of torn flesh as a particularly bad curse had almost split him clean in half. At those moments, it didn't matter that Salazar was as good as immortal, the pain was still real and undeniable, and magical Healing had never worked on the older wizard, the Healing magic not able to get a hold on his inhuman magic and seeming to slide off of him like oil. Something in the man's Shadow Magic simply rejected conventional Healing spells, but as it was that same Shadow magic that always healed his friend at this insane rate anyway, Godric rarely had reason to complain or even worry. But he still hated seeing the other man in pain, which happened way too often as far as he was concerned.

"Does it get your seal of approval?" Salazar asked after long moments as Godric ran his hand along the newly healed skin, prodding carefully, and Godric chuckled at the badly disguised sarcasm sounding through in Salazar's slightly hoarse voice as he nodded before standing. "As always, almost as good as new," he commented as he went to pour them fresh coffee. Behind him, he could hear Salazar shift as he also stood again, relieving some of the pressure off his abdomen that sitting up still caused, and Godric held out a filled mug for the pale wizard to take as he summoned his briefcase wordlessly.

The Daily Prophet's front page immediately caught his partner's attention as it flew out of Godric's briefcase at the younger wizard's summons and came to hover in front of him.

"I thought we killed him," the pale wizard muttered, rare surprise coloring his voice as he reached out to pluck the paper out of the air. Godric huffed, leaning with his hip against the counter as he slowly worked to undo his tie with one hand as he gestured with the other, his steaming mug charmed against spilling after one too many accidents. "Thought so too.. Apparently not though, if Potter is to be believed. After what happened at our school the past years, I'd expected Dumbledore to have gotten a bit more careful. But clearly I was wrong. A boy died Sal. One of our _students_ died."

Salazar remained silent as his eyes scanned the front page, reading the article while Godric watched him, crossing his muscular arms over his chest as Salazar's expression turned blank.

"A student died, and we weren't there to protect him. We turned a blind eye Sal, we _knew_ something was off in the energy signature we sensed from England. It was exactly what we had feared, but we did nothing. And now he's back." Salazar put down the paper, sitting down at the edge of the kitchen table, and Godric recognized the suddenly heavy feeling in the air as Salazar concentrated on the weaves of magic that made up the world around them. It was more difficult with them being on another continent, but centuries of experience made up for that as Salazar tapped into the connection with Hogwarts he still shared.

It had been almost 50 years since he'd connected with the school they helped found, and the period before that had been even longer, but Godric had agreed with Salazar ages ago that they would not interfere with Wizarding Britain any more than necessary. And when they did, it was always from the shadows, unnoticed, and never with any connection to their names. Nobody knew the real names behind the powers that intervened from time to time.

It wouldn't do for the world to know they still lived… Not only for the world, but for themselves. After having lived for as long as they had, being a figurehead wasn't on the agenda. They could work much better if nobody knew they were there. With Godric working on the surface, and Salazar taking care of the things that hid in the dark, they were an unstoppable force, and they did extensive political work.

But still, Godric had always felt connected to Hogwarts, the place where it had all began for them. He had made up his mind as soon as he'd let the news sink in, but he needed Salazar to agree with him, needed the older man's cooperation. Returning to Hogwarts meant having to put some of their other activities on hold, and it was hard to throw away years of hard work and intelligence gathered. But the school needed them… and Godric wanted to answer that call… It wasn't often he allowed himself to be selfish.

But the only way he would return was if they went together.

Salazar released a ragged breath as he drew back into himself, blinking several times to clear his head before shaking it. "Hogwarts is in turmoil… The teachers are completely out of their depth. How is it possible that the Headmaster isn't doing anything to stop this..?" Wizarding Britain was a mess. Godric had a hard time believing how bad it must have gotten over the past years. They had travelled all over the world, and nowhere were magic regulations so extensive and cumbersome as in the UK… Politics dictated everything, and it was frightening how the laws were suffocating the magical populace. The witches and wizards in the UK were painfully cut off and unprepared should they ever be discovered by Muggles, a possibility which was getting more real each and every day.

If Muggles found out about the magical populace sharing their cities, all Hell would break loose, and while some countries would be prepared, others would be sorely outclassed. This danger was what he and Salazar were working so hard at to prevent, or at the very least contain by preparing witches and wizards to know what to do in case that happened and to make sure they would be able to defend themselves against the non-magical people they thought to be so powerless.

Oh, how wrong they were… This Voldemort was nothing in comparison to the devastation that would happen if the magical world was revealed to the Muggles. But the Dark wizard did increase that chance exponentially, and so he had to be dealt with. The devastation that would be wrought on the wizarding community was unimaginable… they had to do something.

But first, Hogwarts… to them, all roads eventually led back to Hogwarts.

Their eyes met, and he could clearly read the agreement in Salazar's cool gaze, and some of the tension left his shoulders as the older man nodded. "We should pack, and leave tonight. We'll need time to figure out our best approach, and the summer vacation only lasts a few more weeks," the palehaired wizard said as he stood from where he was sitting on the edge of the table, and Godric smiled in agreement as he also pushed away from the counter. For the first time in a very long time, he actually felt giddy at the thought that finally, he had a reason to go back to their school, and he could see some of that reflected back to him in Salazar's eyes as well.

Salazar smirked before turning on his heel and padding to their bedroom, and Godric followed, summoning whatever he wanted to bring with him to him. As they would be Portkeying directly to Hogsmeade, where another of their houses was located, it didn't take long to gather what they needed. Godric didn't need all that much, and most of what Salazar always took with him was always on his person in the first place. They did change into more wizard appropriate clothing though…

It wouldn't do for them to be seen in Hogsmeade dressed like Muggles like they were used to, it would draw too much unwanted attention.

Although to be honest, Salazar would probably always draw stares without the glamours, and dressed like he was dressing himself now in his custom made battle gear, so unlike the bulky and cumbersome robes most wizards wore, he looked nothing like a usual wizard. His clothes were simple, pants and a Muggle looking shirt allowing for freedom of movement and not interfering with any of his many weapons, all covered by several layers of protective and concealing yet elegant battle robes to hide most of the weapons from view. And Salazar carried himself like he knew how to use the myriad of weapons at his disposal, a strange mix of magical and Muggle weaponry with the two twin swords crossed on his back, the knives, and his two seemingly Muggle guns secured in their holsters at the small of his back.

Most wizards wouldn't even recognize guns… which made them all the more dangerous. Most magical shields were keyed into stopping magic, not physical projectiles, and certainly not ones that couldn't even be seen.

Salazar had killed powerful wizards without even using his own magic…

It was a sobering thought. Magical people had no idea the kind of damage Muggle weaponry could do. And what better way to show them that than at a school?

Godric crossed his arms over his chest, his more traditional yet elegant wizarding robes clearly showing him to be wealthy and of pure bloodlines. The irony wasn't lost on him that the one the world believed to be a fanatical bloodpurist was dressed like a Muggle underneath his battle gear, while he himself looked like everything the world expected to see when they thought about Salazar Slytherin.

A wry smile twisted his lips at how incorrectly history had depicted them over the years, but there wasn't anything they could do about that without revealing themselves. And Salazar had long since accepted the fact that children were taught that he was an evil Dark wizard who hated Muggleborns…

"Godric." Godric started out of his thoughts at Salazar's voice, and his gaze shot up to meet the pale grey eyes of his partner. Salazar looked down at him intently, gaze searching his own before seemingly coming to a conclusion about something as he nodded. "Let's go."


	2. Harry

Thanks to all who reviewed, your kind words made my day :-). Onwards!

2. Harry

Their home in Hogsmeade was just as he remembered it, and the redhaired wizard sighed in contentment as he brought the steaming cup of tea to his lips and took a small sip while he browsed through the paper as he lounged on the couch.

"The Defence position is still available… it would be an ideal way to reach as many people as possible and still be able to defend the students and Hogwarts at the same time…" Godric mused aloud as he flipped through the job opportunities which were listed at the back of the Daily Prophet. "Perhaps Dumbledore could be persuaded to change it into a dual teaching position."

Salazar snorted derisively as he came up behind the younger redhead, reading the small advert in silence before sighing in annoyance and shaking his head. "I'm not safe Godric. If one of the students would accidentally surprise me or startle me…" He didn't finish his sentence, but Godric swallowed at the implication, and the lack of trust Salazar had in himself it showcased. The older man was hard on himself, always had been, but the centuries had left their mark on the other man.

It wasn't always enough anymore to handle political issues politely, especially when it came to Muggle politics and the ever growing Dark Wizarding community… and that's where Salazar's talents came in. When Godric had first met Salazar, he had been in his father's 'employ'. His friend had been magically bound to a Muggle king who had used him as his personal assassin, and Salazar had been trained as such by both Muggles and wizards from an impossibly young age. Godric's father had killed the Muggle king, and the magical Contract had automatically transferred to the Gryffindor family without them even realizing what had happened at first, and eventually the Contract had transferred to Godric himself as his father passed away. To this day, Godric had never abused the power the Contract gave him over Salazar, and the younger man knew that was exactly why Salazar trusted him implicitly.

He had vowed to never jeopardize that trust.

But as it was, Salazar's unique skills had been needed more and more lately, and while he was incredibly good at it, Godric knew it ate at him even though it was all for the greater good. Salazar didn't talk about it, only when Godric asked him to. Over the centuries, Salazar had gotten more indifferent about the killing itself, and Godric had a sharp suspicion that was what actually bothered the older man more than the actual killing itself. It was second nature to him… And while Godric trusted Salazar with his life, he knew Salazar would always be on his toes to prove he was worthy of that trust.

It would do the both of them good to take a break, and maybe being at Hogwarts would ease some of the burden. Although they still had to deal with Voldemort, one way or the other. Somehow, that seemed like a less daunting task than all the political posturing and underground assassinations and intimidations at the moment…

Godric smiled up at his partner encouragingly, but he knew he wasn't quite successful in keeping the sadness out of his voice as he spoke. "I trust you to be capable of handling it Sal… and I'll still be there, if anything I can Command you to stop. I want to do this, and I think we need the break. You'll do fine, you always enjoyed teaching so much." There was a pleading note to his voice, he knew it but couldn't suppress it even if he had wanted to, and Salazar regarded him coolly for long moments. Those unnatural grey eyes were completely devoid of any emotion and his entire body was still, tensed in readiness, and Godric felt a pang of grief for the other man at the sight of that instinctive reaction. That constant state of hyperawareness and readiness worried Godric more than he cared to admit sometimes.

After long moments of simply standing there, body virtually quivering with conflicted emotion, Salazar hissed an angry curse and shook his head as if to clear it. "I can't… I have to think about this." The older man's voice was tight, and Godric barely restrained himself from reaching out to him as he turned around and almost fled the room. The younger man heard the front door slam shut only seconds later, and he released a shaky breath before scrubbing his hand down his face, rubbing his eyes as he turned to look down at the paper still clenched in his other hand.

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and he sat there for long minutes before coming to a decision. They would go talk to Harry Potter.. maybe speaking to the Boy Who Lived would be able to convince Salazar that they were sorely needed at Hogwarts now that Voldemort was back.

But first he had to figure out where the boy lived…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Godric stepped back from the door and lowered his hand as he heard the stumbling coming from inside in answer to his knock. It had been disgustingly easy to ascertain the Boy Who Lived's whereabouts, frighteningly so, and Godric had to wonder what Voldemort was thinking. Why not simply bomb the place and be done with it…? Surely, the alleged Blood Magic defending the kid wouldn't be so powerful to be able to stop a direct tactical assault?

He schooled his features into a pleasant smile as the door was opened, and he came face to face with Harry Potter himself. It was a struggle to maintain that expression though as he caught sight of the small teen, and he heard Salazar's sharp intake of breath clearly as the boy raised his eyes furtively to address them. "Yeah?"

Salazar stepped forward, and Harry's eyes were immediately drawn to him, as his presence demanded attention even with the glamours making him appear like an ordinary, harmless Muggle. It was a mistake to do so, and would have cost the boy dearly if they had had evil intentions, as Godric noted how Salazar immediately delved into the boy's mind without any seeming difficulty. No one had bothered to teach this boy Occlumency…

"Let us in."

The suggestion was enough, combined with the Legilimency, and without hesitation the Potter boy stepped to the side to let them pass. After a quick sweep with his magic, Godric determined that the house was empty, and he nodded at Salazar in silent communication as he closed the door behind himself. Harry blinked rapidly for a moment, shaking his head, and a hint of panic and fear was obvious in his startling green eyes as he stumbled back, fumbling for a wand he clearly expected to be there but coming up empty handed. "Who- who are you?" the boy bit out angrily once he realized there was nothing he could do to defend himself, and Godric held out his hands in a placating gesture.

"My name is Gabriel Winchester, and this is my brother Simon. We just want to talk to you for a moment, if that's okay. Please, we mean you no harm." To his credit, Harry didn't seem convinced at all of their good intentions, and he made to dash for the stairs. He didn't make it half-way upstairs before Salazar caught him, careful not to use magic as it might trip up or activate some of the defensive wards. They didn't want Dumbledore to know anyone had been there.

Harry cursed and put up a frantic struggle, and Salazar grunted when one of the kicks connected solidly with his still healing side, but he didn't loosen his grip a fraction as he tried to calm the boy down. Harry was in full panic mode, screaming and pleading in a way that made Godric sick to his stomach with the pain and fear bleeding into the boy's voice. No child should sound like that…. Salazar seemed taken aback as well, and he shifted his hold so that he was holding the boy more securely in a hold that looked suspiciously like an embrace as he started talking softly to the boy. The older wizard's voice was low and hoarse, but clear enough for the boy to hear, and over the course of several minutes, the teen was reduced to a quivering mass in Salazar's arms, sobbing as their position was reversed and it now appeared like the boy was holding onto Salazar instead of the other way around as he seemed to come to the realization that there wouldn't be any kind of attack.

Godric swallowed hard. This was not what they had expected to find when seeking out the Boy Who Lived. Dumbledore had clearly not taken his responsibilities seriously when it came to taking care of the kid…

This could not go on. Godric would not allow any more bruises to be added to this child's body and mind.

"What do we do?" he asked quietly as Salazar looked back at him. Salazar released a slow, steadying breath before muttering something under his breath, and Godric saw the boy's body turn boneless in the older man's arms as he fell into a deep magical sleep. "We set off the wards, tear them down, and then disappear. Dumbledore will come, and he won't be able to leave the kid here without them in place. The protections woven into the wards are laughable Godric, the Blood magic is almost entirely gone, withered away over the years. As far as I can gather, they were supposed to be fueled by love for the boy, which they clearly haven't been… It offers meager protection as it is. The boy will be much safer, and certainly happier, at Hogwarts. I've erased his memories of the past minutes, he won't remember us, he'll just remember getting tired and going to take a nap… We'll get our information at Hogwarts, all this kid needs is to be left alone for a while."

Godric let this sink in for a moment before nodding in agreement and he quietly approached Salazar where he still sat halfway up the stairs with the boy cradled in his arms. Carefully, he took the boy from his partner's hold. "Take care of the wards… I'll put him to bed," he suggested, and at Salazar's nod started up the stairs with the teen cradled in his arms, checking some doors until he found what he was looking for. Opening the door to what had to be the boy's bedroom, he was taken aback by the locks on it, and his expression grew sad as he saw what was inside. "Oh Harry…"

The room was unkempt and bare, save for some of the kid's meager belongings. There was nothing warm or welcoming in there, save for the caged owl in the corner, and Godric very gently put the boy down on the bed before opening the cage. The owl hooted, but after only a moment of hesitation stepped onto his arm, staring at him with large, calculating eyes. "I mean your human no harm… Someone will take him to Hogwarts soon, so go there if they don't take you, alright?" The owl blinked once as she spread out her wings and soared over to the boy's headboard and landed gracefully, standing quiet vigil as Godric stepped back out. As he set foot into the hallway, he felt the wards collapse onto themselves harmlessly, and he had to admire Salazar's skill as only the wards he wanted to trigger were tripped in the process.

Spellweavers were rare. Spellweavers with the sheer amount of power, skill and experience Salazar had… It was a good thing no more of those existed…


	3. Hogwarts

Thanks again for all the great feedback, I hope this won't disappoint. Also, all questions will be answered eventually :-). As always, let me know what you think!

3. Hogwarts

Hogwarts had changed over the centuries, but the essence of the castle was still the same, and Godric took in the familiar sight with a faint smile. Salazar was standing slightly to the side and a step behind him, subconsciously adopting the familiar stance of his bodyguard in a reflection of their usual roles when they appeared together in public. He doubted the woman in front of them knew their aliases, but it didn't hurt to keep up appearances. Gabriel Winchester was quite a well-known pureblood in the States, but probably not in Britain. Which was just as well. They didn't need the influence his name brought, at least not yet.

The woman, Minerva McGonagall, was regarding them with a stern but gentle expression on her weathered face, and Godric recognized the steel in her gaze as she assessed the level of threat, if any, they posed. The tall, darkhaired man at her side was regarding them much more suspiciously, dark brown eyes sharp and keen as in particular Salazar was given an extensive once over.

McGonagall seemed to come to a conclusion, and she nodded curtly before looking at her companion, the one who had been introduced as Professor Snape, in question. The man's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, and he jerked his chin in Salazar's direction, earning a cool look from the palehaired wizard in return. "You'll have to disarm yourself before entering the school. I'm sure you understand." Snape said in a slow, superior drawl, and Salazar met Godric's eyes for a short moment before inclining his head minutely. They had actually counted on this somewhat, and it had been a bit of a test, one they were both glad at least these two professors had passed.

"Certainly… Though I would advise you not to touch them if you value your life. I assume you have a place where I can store them safely?" The two wizards exchanged a heated, challenging glare, but before Snape could come back with a certain to be cutting remark, McGonagall smiled and nodded. "Of course, if you would please follow me."

They were led into a small chamber just outside of the main entrance, a room that had been specifically designed by them for just this purpose, and the two Founders shared an approving look. The room was heavily warded against students entering, and it was still outside of the main wards of the castle. This way, visitors could leave their weapons safe and unattended outside of the defenses of Hogwarts. Rowena had been the one who had insisted on it being built, and her precaution and foresight had saved them more than once.

Salazar stepped into the room and wordlessly shrugged out of his longcoat, undoing the fastenings of his gun rig, holsters and scabbards with the ease and speed of someone who had done this countless times before and could probably do it half asleep. Something Godric could attest to.

Salazar had foregone his usual battle robes to negate any suspicion they would provoke, but the Muggle tightfitting turtleneck and cargo pants were not enough to cover the entirety of the deep black and red runes and markings of the magical contract that were permanently and magically branded onto his pale skin and hide them completely from view. The part of his left forearm and the back of his hand, covered in the intricate marks of the contract, drew the immediate attention of both the professors, something they had expected and foreseen, and Salazar carefully put down his twin guns on the table before folding his arms across his chest. This effectively hid the marks from view, and McGonagall blinked in confusion but didn't comment. Magical contracts had been rare in their time, and it was even more rare now, but not completely unheard of. Besides, the nature of the contract was almost impossible to determine by just visual inspection, even for the most skilled of Contractors.

Snape wasn't as polite or considerate as McGonagall though, and the tall wizard snapped curtly. "Show me that."

The tall blackhaired wizard stepped toward Salazar briskly and grabbed the other man's wrist, but before he could do more than pull up the sleeve an inch, Salazar reversed the hold so he was now holding the professor's hand instead. His pale grey eyes were narrowed dangerously, and Godric tensed in confusion as Salazar growled. "You first."

McGonagall cried out in protest as Salazar twisted Snape's arm behind his back and pushed him down to lay flat on the floor quickly and effectively, and Snape grunted in surprise as his chest hit the floor and Salazar's knee was pushed none too gently into the small of his back. With an angry gesture, the pale wizard pulled back the sleeve of Snape's robe and Godric's blood ran cold at the sight of the Dark Mark, standing out in angry blacks and greens on the teacher's now bare forearm. Salazar must have felt the presence of the Contract when Snape had touched him… What the Hell was Dumbledore thinking?! Did the old man even know?

"Please! Stop this!" Salazar hissed in a sharp breath from where he crouched, still holding Snape immobile, but he did look up at McGonagall as she pleaded and found her wand trained on him with a steadiness that was contrary to the panic in her voice. Godric's respect for the woman grew instantly. "This is not what it looks like, Professor Snape is one of us, please, allow us to explain," she pleaded with an edge of desperation in her voice, and Salazar took a steadying breath before meeting McGonagall's pleading eyes. "Did you know about this? Do you trust this man?" he asked without letting up, and Snape wisely held completely still as McGonagall nodded after only a moment's hesitation. "Yes, yes I do, and so does the Headmaster. Severus…" She didn't finish the sentence, trailing off as Salazar released the other man wordlessly before gracefully getting to his feet and taking a step back. Godric knew better, knew that Salazar didn't trust the man or McGonagall's judgment at all, but it wouldn't do for them to throw away their chances at the teaching position, if they hadn't done so already. And Godric couldn't reaaly blame Salazar for reacting the way he had, not with the way he was trained to react to a threat. In fact, he had shown remarkable self-restraint…

They would deal with Severus Snape later, if necessary.

Snape got up from the floor slowly, brushing off his robes indignantly and radiating anger, but somehow he seemed to recognize the danger of provoking Salazar further for now, and he left the room with an impressive swirl of his heavy black robes.

How had someone like him become a teacher here? Had the standards for professors been lowered so badly…?

McGonagall released a nervous laugh, running a hand down the front of her robes as she lowered her wand from where it had still been trained at Salazar's forehead, and Godric could see her throat work as she swallowed almost convulsively. They had really unbalanced her, and Godric felt slightly bad about that if nothing else, even though he was determined to get to the bottom of this. "Forgive me, I reacted on instinct. Shall we..?" Salazar suggested gently after a few more moments of them just standing there looking at each other, and to her credit McGonagall instantly snapped out of it as she seemed to gather herself quickly. "Yes, yes, certainly… Please, I'll take you to the Headmaster now."

She whirled around and left almost as fast as Snape had, leaving the two Founders to follow her. The two men shared a significant look. Hogwarts had changed, and seemingly not entirely for the better. If the Headmaster allowed Death Eaters to teach… what else would they encounter? Assuming they got the position that was. Salazar fell in step behind him, and Godric relaxed slightly at his partner's familiar reassuring presence at his back. They would figure this out, all of it. Harry Potter, Voldemort, the Muggles…. But first things first. They had a job interview to get through...

He couldn't wait to meet this Dumbledore face to face.


	4. Dumbledore

Have a great 2015 everyone!

4. Dumbledore

Salazar took in the Headmaster's office from where he was sitting on the armrest of the easy chair Godric was lounging in, letting Godric take care of the obligatory small talk as Dumbledore asked some basic questions. He tuned them out for the most part, instead choosing to observe the man's body language and other actions in favor of the mostly useless words which flowed from the old wizard's lips. Actions spoke louder than words after all, and up until now Salazar was not impressed. His negligence when it came to Harry Potter had been just the start, but now this Snape….

He couldn't believe this Headmaster, letting a Death Eater stay at the school, let alone teach. It was ludicrous. And the old man was getting on his last nerves as well. Salazar knew he wasn't the most socially adapted being alive, but Dumbledore… The bearded wizard gave off the impression of a gentle, if somewhat scatterbrained, old grandfather, but the various attempts of the old coot to penetrate Salazar's mental barriers hinted at an entirely different persona hiding behind the kind façade. And to think the man thought Salazar was oblivious to his attempts… Altering his surface thoughts for the man to see was easy enough, and he knew Godric would be doing the same.

The man was good, but not _that _good.

It made him wonder if he did this to every candidate, and if what he found in those minds was leading in his decision to hire or not. If his track record of Defense teachers was anything to go by, he doubted it… So why this special treatment, why this seeming distrust? On the other hand, he _had_ just attacked one of his staff, so there was that...

His lips twitched slightly into a rueful smirk as Godric answered the Headmaster's question politely and with a charming flair Salazar had never had the patience for, not even after all this time, and he listened with half an ear as Godric and Dumbledore talked. Then he focused on the weaves of magic around him, permeating the very air surrounding them as he tapped into his Spellweaving talent and felt out the magic of the castle. What he found was worrying… The wards were deteriorating. He tensed involuntarily as he dug deeper, searching.

Something in his posture must have changed at the disconcerting realization, for suddenly Dumbledore addressed him, and Salazar blinked several times as his focus was diverted to the man in front of him. The man was powerful, that much was a given, but still on an entirely different level from himself or Godric. Which was a reassuring thought, considering Voldemort and Dumbledore were supposedly quite evenly matched.

"Excuse me? I was lost in thought for a second," Salazar replied to the question he hadn't heard, and he met Dumbledore's cool blue gaze calmly as he shifted to sit more upright. The wards would have to wait, he would investigate their troubling weakness later. Right now, he needed to focus on this man in front of him.

Dumbledore regarded him silently, and Salazar once again felt the invasive sensation of Hogwart's current Headmaster trying to delve deeper into his mind. He and Godric had agreed not to return that favor if the old man tried, so Salazar restrained himself from retaliating and pretended not to notice anything as Dumbledore restated his question. "Your brother and I were just discussing the added value of having two teachers in the Defense position, and I find his arguments to be very persuasive. He tells me your specialty is defensive magic and that you are a skilled fighter. But I have to admit I am confused… your magic is like nothing I have ever sensed, and I hope you understand I need to make sure that you're not a threat to the school or the students. May I please see your wand?"

Salazar took a slow breath, exchanging a quick glance with Godric. This, they had not been expecting. Maybe there was more to Dumbledore after all… For the old man to be able to sense his magic was nothing short of amazing. The man wasn't a Spellweaver, he was sure of that, so he was making this analysis based on spells. Which was somewhat impressive. It made him wonder… what else was Dumbledore hiding?

Godric was frowning slightly, but after a moment, he nodded slowly. Salazar allowed a small smirk to twist the corner of his mouth upwards as he replied simply. "I don't use one." It wasn't entirely unheard off for a wizard to use solely wandless magic, although it was usually regarded as an inferior use of spells as it was usually less focused and powerful. But not so for a Spellweaver. None of those limitations applied to him, and it seemed Dumbledore was drawing his own conclusions about him.

Dumbledore frowned, eyes alight in fascination as he gave Salazar another once over. The pale wizard didn't miss the quickly disguised greed in that gaze. "You're a Spellweaver?" the old Headmaster asked after long moments, and Salazar gave a curt nod in reply.

The Headmaster seemed to mull that over for long moments before asking his next question, a valid one, Salazar had to admit. "Then how are you planning on teaching my students, who all rely on the use of wands, to use magic?" Dumbledore asked seriously, brow furrowed slightly, and Salazar gave a small shrug in reply.

"That's where Gabriel comes in. I can teach your students much about dueling without ever having to cast, and not all threats are magical. Something most wizards seem to forget." That earned him a thoughtful look, but apparently Dumbledore wasn't done yet. "I see, you may have a point there… and it will be good for the students to see that there are more possibilities for magic use out there," he continued thoughtfully, before his gaze sharpened again, and Salazar instinctively tensed as the man spoke again. "One last question for you. I'm sure you understand, but I need to know the nature of your Contract, and for that I have to see it for myself. I'm sure you understand, with everything that's been happening the last few months," he continued calmly, and Salazar forced down his first instinctive reaction at the innocently phrased question, cursing mentally as his hopes of them being able to skip this part were effectively trashed. They had known this was coming, and they understood the need. If it were him, he would never hire somebody with a known Contract he didn't know the nature of, but he didn't have to like it.

Without replying, he quickly tied his hair into a sloppy tail before pulling the black turtleneck over his head and dropping it in Godric's lap. He stood, reaching down to take off his tanktop as well, which left him in just his cargo pants and boots before he turned around to give Dumbledore his exposed back. The action went against all his instincts, which were screaming at him not to give an unfamiliar wizard such an opportunity to attack. He pushed those thoughts down ruthlessly, crossing his arms as he trusted Godric to have his back. Literally.

The sharp intake of breath was not unexpected. Contracts like the one he had were unheard off in this age, and with what he had gotten to know of Dumbledore by their short contact, he wouldn't put it past the Headmaster to figure out some of the nature of it by himself.

This day was getting more and more interesting…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Godric played with the articles of clothing dumped into his lap absentmindedly as Salazar turned around, crossing his arms over his chest defensively as he gave the Headmaster his unprotected back. But Godric wasn't watching Salazar, he was watching Dumbledore. He knew what the old wizard was seeing, was intimately familiar with the elegant runes, magic circles, and intricate markings crawling over Salazar's entire back and shoulder blades, down both arms and extending all the way to his left hand and right elbow in sharp blacks and reds. It was strangely beautiful and mesmerizing in its intricacy, but also frightening in its complexity and extent, and Godric found himself unconsciously fingering the small rune on the inside of his right wrist which had come into existence the moment the Contract was transferred from Godric's father to Godric.

Contracts like the one he had with Salazar were not accepted this day and age, something Godric wholeheartedly agreed with. Banishing Contracts like this had been something he and Salazar had fought to accomplish centuries back, and he hoped Dumbledore wouldn't recognize the different parts of this one. If he did, there would be questions, ones they were not willing to answer...

The old wizard was looking thoughtfully at the extensive marks, obviously trying to figure out what they meant, and if this Contract posed a threat in anyway, eyes narrowing slightly when his eyes fell on some spidery Latin script surrounding one of the magic circles. The lettering was elegant and looped, very small, and extremely hard to decipher, and he tensed involuntarily when he saw Salazar stiffen as Dumbledore traced a finger down the pale wizard's spine lightly. Godric watched warily as all the muscles in Salazar's back bunched up in response. The older man was in astonishing physical shape, but he had always been so lean, and the muscles and tendons beneath the pale skin stood out starkly as he tensed up in barely suppressed anxiety at the foreign touch.

He knew it was taking all his partner's not inconsiderable well of self-control to remain as he was, but his fists were already clenched at his sides, and his breathing was becoming more controlled and even in an obvious attempt to keep his composure.

Touch had always been a delicate matter to Salazar… It had taken Godric ages before the other man had come to trust him enough not to flinch away when he reached out. Being alive for as long as they had, doing the things they had done, had done nothing to improve that.

"He is bound to me as a guardian… has been since I was very young. It allows him to know where I am and how I am feeling at all times, and I can tap into his magic reserves if necessary to defend myself," Godric supplied honestly after long moments of observation as Dumbledore drew back and looked at him in question. The next bit was a complete lie though… "It is a voluntary Contract. He is bound to me, but not obligated to me in any way." The words left a nasty aftertaste in his mouth, and he noticed how Salazar's expression went completely blank at the blatant lie. There had been nothing voluntary about the taking of the Contract, and certainly not about the obligations Salazar had to him as a result. Salazar's life was his, literally.

If it weren't for Salazar's inhuman magic keeping him alive past normal human life expectancy, Godric would have died at a normal age. As it was, Salazar's magic made them virtually immortal in the sense of ageing. Godric was simply taking advantage of that magic through the Contract, constantly feeding off it in small amounts. Which was mutually beneficial, as Salazar had vowed to never let another take the Contract should Godric die…

Dumbledore regarded him closely after those words, and Godric once again felt the man enter his mind. This was getting truly tiresome… He ignored the tickling sensation in favor of handing Salazar his clothes back as Dumbledore retook his seat opposite him. Salazar quickly dressed and sat on the armrest again, and Godric put a reassuring, calming hand on the small of the older wizard's back, feeling the tension in the other man's body tingle beneath his fingertips. He didn't break eye contact with Dumbledore though, and finally, the old wizard nodded.

Those blue eyes turned kind as he spoke, and immediately, Godric felt some of his own tension drain from his body as the atmosphere in the room changed now that the unpleasantries were seemingly dealt with. Dumbledore's voice was warm and relaxed as he concluded. "Alright, I believe you, and I believe you can make a great contribution to the teaching staff… Simon Winchester, Gabriel Winchester… Welcome to Hogwarts."

Godric smiled at those words, leaning forward to shake the Headmaster's hand and not caring about the act he was putting on as he expressed his thanks and pretended like everything was as it should be. Dumbledore was planning something. This had been way too easy. The red haired wizard was fairly sure Dumbledore had gotten more from his inspection of Salazar's Contract than he was letting on, and he hadn't missed the hungry look the Headmaster had given Salazar when he admitted to being a Spellweaver. But they would worry about that later. For now, they had accomplished what they had set out to do.

They were back at Hogwarts.


	5. First impressions

A long one today. I hope you guys enjoy it! And thanks for all the follows, favs and reviews, they really cheer me up :-). As always, let me know what you think, I love to hear from you all.

5. First impressions

Harry was one of the few students staying at Hogwarts over the summer holiday, and the teen secretly relished the freedom of being alone in the giant castle as he made his way down the halls towards the Great Hall for breakfast. There were so few of them now that the other students and the teachers who had remained at the school ate together at a single table, the rest of the Great Hall remaining untouched in expectation of the rest of the students returning in a few weeks' time. He loved it like this, loved the peace and quiet and the sense of calm he got from just being in Hogwarts' proximity. Without the hectic bustling of other students distracting him, he had come to realize how Hogwarts seemed alive and teeming with magic, comforting and healing in its welcoming quality. Hogwarts would probably always feel like home to him after this summer, so at odds with what he was used to as being 'home'.

He actually felt grateful for the wards around Privet Drive suddenly dissolving, even though it had been a terrifying experience at first. He had woken up from his afternoon nap the moment the magical protection suddenly seemed to vanish, and he had to admit that for a moment, he had panicked. But it hadn't taken long for McGonagall to arrive, and she had quickly taken him back to the safety of Hogwarts. Apparently, there had been safeguards built into the warding around the small house, which had warned Dumbledore accordingly. Thank God… Harry didn't really want to linger on the thought of what could have happened had that not been the case.

There was a bright side to it though… He hadn't believed his luck when Dumbledore had told him several days ago that it would be impossible for him to go back to his relatives, and he had acted properly distressed even though he had secretly been delighted by the news. No more Dursleys. No more hunger and abuse and degradation. Hopefully not ever again…

Shaking himself out of his dark thoughts, he pushed open the door to the Great Hall and silently slipped inside. It was quiet, only a few of the teachers were conversing softly while others sat eating in silence, and Harry sat down on the long bench next to Professor Sprout, giving her a polite nod before reaching out to fill his plate. His appetite had returned with a vengeance now that he was actually allowed to eat, and already he was feeling better than he had in a long time. What a few days of peace could accomplish… He couldn't believe it had only been a couple of weeks since… No. He couldn't think about that, not now.

Suddenly feeling eyes on him, he lifted his gaze only to meet Snape's disapproving glare from the other side of the table. Damn, how had he not noticed that? And now it was too late to relocate without seeming impolite or like he was fleeing, so he averted his eyes reluctantly and proceeded to ignore the Potion's Master to the best of his abilities. It was hard. Very hard.

He could almost taste the hatred in the air rolling off the man across the table in tangible waves, and he was just about to break and find another seat anyway, image be damned, when the doors to the Great Hall opened. The motion caught both his and Snape's attention as they were closest to the doors, and Harry glanced up to watch. Anything was better than having to look at the malicious Potion's Master...

His brow furrowed in slight bewilderment as two unfamiliar men stepped into the Great Hall. He was pretty sure he had never seen them before, but he couldn't shake the niggling sense that he knew them somehow … although he couldn't really put his finger on it.

The man walking in front was striking in his presence, and he carried himself in a way that demanded respect but at the same time he was smiling in a way that made Harry instantly like him. He was a redhead, although not as fiery orange as the Weasleys, tall and clearly broad shouldered and muscular beneath the well-tailored and expensive looking robes he wore. He moved with a graceful looseness and surety in his step, like someone who knew how to handle himself in a fight. Innately powerful… His eyes were a warm hazel, and full of life and humor as he glanced back at his companion who was walking a step to the right and slightly behind him.

The second man was striking in a different way, the sense of Other Harry got when looking at him was disconcerting in its intensity. He was much more slender than his broader companion, built for speed and stealth rather than brute strength with ropey corded muscles standing out on his bare forearms and rippling beneath the pale, strangely marked skin. He carried himself lightly, almost predatory. He was also graceful, almost inhumanly so, and Harry shivered when those impossibly pale grey eyes inexplicably found his. They were cold, calculating and intense… Unlike his companion though, this man almost looked like a Muggle the way he was dressed in a simple short sleeved turtleneck and cargo pants.

The pair made for a strange contrast, and Harry found himself wondering who these men were. Aurors? Ministry? Teachers? And if so, the only vacancy he knew about was the Defense position.. had any of the other teachers left? He couldn't recall hearing anything of the sort, but then again, he didn't really seek out any of the teachers, choosing instead to isolate himself in order to regain his bearings before term started.

The redhead called out a jovial greeting to the rest of the Professors before sliding onto the bench next to Harry, grinning warmly and holding out his hand for Harry to shake. "Aha, this must be the famous Harry Potter! I was looking forward to meeting you, but please, my manners.. My name is Gabriel Winchester, and this is my brother, Simon. We will be the new Defense teachers." Slightly bewildered and a bit overwhelmed by the man's joviality, Harry accepted the man's hand and shook it, nodding at the pale wizard who was taking his seat as well. This was the first time he'd heard of a shared teaching position. He received a curt nod in return, and Harry noticed Snape sending the pale man a particularly nasty look before he quickly got up and left in his usual swirl of black robes.

He had to wonder at the slight smirk that twisted the pale haired Professor's mouth at the man's hasty departure. It seemed he wasn't the only one who didn't get along with Snape.

"Yeah, that's me alright… Pleasure to meet you Professor Winchester," he said in reply to the Professor's enquiry, and the redhead shot him a broad grin in response. "Please, Gabriel. It'll be way too confusing if the students have to call the both of us Professor Winchester," the redhead said warmly, and Harry thought he had a point there. But it would be weird to call them by their first names.. it felt wrong somehow, disrespectful.

"Alright, Gabriel, I –uh…" he trailed off there, suddenly uneasy and looked away, only to flinch when the redhaired Professor gave him a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. He had to make a conscious effort not to shrug it off, but its presence was strangely soothing, and after a moment he found himself inexplicably relaxing. The professor, Gabriel, shot him a knowing smile before releasing him and reaching out to fill his plate as well. "Apologies for interrupting your meal Mr. Potter. Perhaps it would be more convenient to have a talk later? I have to admit I'm very curious about you, as well as gathering some information about the Defense classes you've had previously so we can adjust our teaching schedule if necessary. I'm afraid you're the oldest student around, and we would like to have a bit of a heads up before the start of term, if you know what I mean. From what I've heard, the last few Professors' teaching methods left something to be desired."

Oh, and that was such an understatement it wasn't even funny… Harry found himself nodding in agreement, and he smiled back at the cheerful grin on the redhaired Professor's face. His companion had remained silent during the entire exchange, but he looked up from his breakfast as Harry agreed to a time to meet them in their quarters. Harry met that disconcerting gaze almost reluctantly, but was relieved to see nothing but indifference in their depths. It was an emotion that was so familiar to him, that he almost felt more comfortable with that than with the other Professor's well-meant interest. Indifference, he could deal with…

He finished his meal quickly after that, determined to get some exercise in before he was up to meet the two professors, and he excused himself before heading back to his dorm. On the way there, he let the exchange sink in. This year's Defense was bound to get interesting…

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Harry stood in front of the door with his hand already raised and gathering his courage to knock, berating himself for his apprehension.. He had fought the Dark Lord for God's sakes… _Get a grip Harry…_

He took a deep breath, but before his knuckles could touch the marred wood, the door swung open and he found himself face to face with the redhaired Professor, Gabriel. The man was smiling widely, and beckoned him in at his quizzical expression. "I charmed the vicinity of the door to notify me in case of visitors, and since I was expecting you… You're a bit early though, Simon's not in at the moment, and I think he'll have some questions for you as well. May I offer you some tea while we wait?" he asked as he led Harry into the sitting area of the expansive quarters. Harry simply nodded, speechless at what he saw, but above all, _felt_, in that room.

Harry had always been attuned to magic around him, and the ability to sense different kinds of magic in the air had developed slowly over the years. What he felt here… He had thought Dumbledore's office was filled with power, but that was nothing compared to the sheer magnitude of magic permeating the air here. It made the air almost too thick to breathe, and he swallowed hard as he sat down and breathed through the experience, watching Gabriel closely as he moved around the small table carrying a tray with cups. Power rolled off the man in waves, earthy, healthy and strong, and he didn't even seem to be aware of it as he sat down and calmly began to sip his tea.

Harry couldn't understand this… Was starting to doubt the wisdom of coming here on his own. He hadn't noticed He hadn't noticed the man's sheer power before, surrounded by all the other Professors as they had been, but now that they were alone, it was almost too much to take in. Feeling it now, he seriously suspected the man had a way of suppressing it when in public. So why wasn't he hiding it now? The only obvious explanation was that he had no idea Harry could sense it… But what did that mean? Or was he demonstrating his power for a reason?

He shook his head briefly to gather his composure and reached out to take one off the offered cups from the tray to busy his hands so he had an excuse not to talk. The Professor had invited him, right?

They studied each other for long moments before Gabriel broke the silence. "Please, if you have any questions about me or my brother, feel free to ask. I understand it may be hard for you to trust us, especially as we will be teaching Defense which I've come to understand has had a pretty bad track record... but I would like to have the opportunity to earn your trust. If there is anything we can do to help you, we will. We don't doubt what you saw at the end of your fourth year, Simon has verified your information himself. Voldemort is back, and we would like to offer our help in taking care of that threat," the man spoke in a low tone, suddenly serious, and Harry tensed. Of all the things, that was not what he had been expecting. Certainly not so soon.

What had happened in that graveyard was still fresh in his memory, and he involuntarily shivered as he recalled the bone white face staring back at him, red eyes gleaming from that inhuman visage. Voldemort haunted his nightmares, and his scar suddenly flared up with a stab of white hot pain he could not hide. It caught him completely by surprise and he hissed, doubling over and clutching at his forehead as he dropped the cup on the carpet at his feet. He distantly heard the Professor getting to his feet and approaching him before a high pitched whine drowned out all other sound.

It hurt, worse than it had in a very long time, and he felt tears starting to stream down his face at the agony emanating from the scar. He was about to scream when his head was forced back and he found himself looking into the inhumanly grey eyes of the other Professor.

And everything just stopped.

It took Harry a moment to realize the pain was gone, disappeared as if it had never existed. Not even a residual ache remained. Simon was looking at him with fierce intensity, eyes narrowed slightly with strain and Harry felt the man's hands on both sides of his face quiver slightly for just a second before the older wizard went still and drew back slowly, eyes closing as he slumped back and sat down on the edge of the table heavily.

Gabriel reached out to touch his brother's shoulder, but the pale man held up a warning hand as he shook his head. "Give me a moment." The man's voice was low and slightly hoarse, and strangely soothing despite the strain in it. Harry's eyes widened in dawning realization at what the man had done, and he gaped openly. This Professor he had only met that same day, had just _somehow_ channeled his pain…

"Simon…" There was obvious concern in Gabriel's voice, but Simon merely sighed, seeming to shake off the last of the effects of whatever he had just done like it was nothing.

"I'm fine, I had to act quick, so I couldn't block all of it before it took hold. It's gone now. You okay kid?" he asked after a moment as he sat up straighter, eyes clear again as he looked down at where Harry was sitting on the floor. Huh, how had he gotten there….? Must have fallen somehow...

"I caught you on your way down, would've made a nice dent in that ugly table too if I hadn't stopped you. And you haven't answered my question." Harry blinked, momentarily confused and taken aback by the grey-eyed wizard's directness before catching on and nodding. "Yeah, yeah… I'm fine. I- thank you…" he stammered, unable to bring his gratitude into words for the moment, and Simon smirked briefly before getting up. "Good. What I don't understand is why nobody has ever taught you how to block such an attack. Do you lack the ability for Occlumency or is it just that nobody bothered to teach you?" There was accusation in that voice, and it was hard for Harry to reason that it couldn't be aimed at him, but at the people who were supposed to have taught him.. Occlumency… he had never even heard of it…

He shook his head, instinctively squaring his shoulders in defense as he dragged himself back into the chair, straightening out his robes to keep his hands busy as those pale eyes bored into him, still waiting for an answer. He met the man's gaze reluctantly, and something in the pale wizard's eyes flickered. Anger. That, he could recognize.

"Those morons, they taught you nothing. How you could have survived for this long, it's a fluke. What the Hell are they thinking." Simon growled, standing up and pushing past his brother. He stopped in front of a cupboard, and Harry felt the magic in the room pulse as the man reached inside and drew out a small chest. Harry blinked in confusion, realization hitting him that the man had just read his mind, but before he could put his incredulousness into words, Simon turned back to him with the small chest in his hands. And then the man _hissed_…

Simon Winchester… was a Parselmouth….

Ignoring everything around him, the pale Professor coaxed the small chest open with sibilant tones before passing a hand over the top, and Harry felt the man's magic reach out and dissolve the wards around the container like they were nothing. The slender Professor's magic was nothing like his brother's, filling Harry with a sense of shadows and darkness and death, and he drew back instinctively when Simon took something out of the chest and walked back to where he was seated. Simon frowned at his initial reaction, expression strangely tight as he sat down on the edge of the table in front of Harry again, and Harry couldn't for the life of him look away from those cold eyes. He started slightly as the older man grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand into his lap none too gently and he gasped when something hit his palm, something cold and metallic.

He curled his fingers around the object, feeling the slightly rounded edges, and a chain as it slid through his fingers with soft metallic clinks as the magic of the object seeped into his own. It made him feel safe, and his mind inexplicably calmed as he held it, and he slowly brought it up to his chest and looked down.

It was a locket, and Harry allowed the chain to slide through his fingers until he was holding it at eye level, the small silver amulet dangling and swaying gently as he studied it. It was beautiful, elegant yet simple, two snakes coiled around each other and together forming a shape that looked distinctly like the letter S, the serpents' eyes glittering back at him in emerald green.

"Wear that beneath your robes and don't show it to anyone, it'll protect you from mental assault like the one you suffered just now. I'll be wanting it back, so don't lose it. You can have it until someone has taken care of the gap in your education," Simon offered, that slightly hoarse voice strangely kind, and Harry swallowed hard. An artifact as obviously powerful as this one must be worth a fortune… He didn't even know this man, and yet… That sense of having met these men before was stronger than ever, and he blinked. Their magic… he had felt a residue that had felt just like their magic did right after the wards at the Dursleys had suddenly collapsed..

"It was you… at Privet Drive…" He couldn't recall what had happened, but the sense of them… He couldn't shake it off, knew he was right even though he didn't understand how, or why?

Simon looked at him sharply, eyes flickering dangerously for a split second before he let out a harsh bark of laughter. Gabriel just seemed confused, brow furrowed as he obviously tried to see what he was missing here. He had been silent all this time, and Harry had almost forgotten he was there until he came to kneel next to Simon.

"What are you talking about Harry?" he asked, but Simon shook his head. "Don't bother, he knows. You can sense it, can't you? It's a rare ability you have… Heed this though, if you don't want to be used more as a weapon than you are now, you'll keep silent about that for now to your friends, and especially the other Professors."

Harry gaped, mind overloaded as he tried to figure out what the man was talking about, and Simon, seeming to see his obvious confusion, sobered. "I'm sorry, I see how this is a lot for you to process at once. Wear that locket, go do something to relax and don't worry about anything that has happened here for now. If you want to know more about your ability to sense magic, seek me out later this week, and we'll talk.."

With those cryptic words, the slender Professor got up and started towards the cupboard he'd removed the small chest from. Again, the air pulsed with the sense of darkness, tasting to Harry like ashes on the wind, and he slowly got to his feet. He put on the locket carefully, the coldness of the chain chilling his skin as it came to rest just beneath his collarbones. He was struck speechless for a moment as the snakes on the locket hissed contently in his mind, and he drew in a deep breath. "Thank you… I don't know how I can thank you enough," he said softly, meaning the locket, the wards at Privet Drive, and so much more. He could only hope his voice conveyed his gratitude, and Gabriel smiled openly while Simon shot him a lopsided smirk and a half hearted salute before turning away.

"Sure thing. Now get the Hell out of here, the adults need to talk." Instead of being offended at that, Harry's face broke into a wide grin and he nodded before making his way out of the Professors' quarters. The door shut behind him gently, and he didn't hesitate before turning his feet towards Gryffindor tower. There was a lightness to his steps and mind that he hadn't felt in a long, long time, and he smiled to himself as he brought up his hand to touch the spot on the front of his robes hiding the locket from prying eyes.

He couldn't fully understand what had gone on back there, but for the first time since coming to Hogwarts, that actually felt alright. For once, he was secure in the knowledge that for a change someone else was taking responsibility, and not just putting everything on him. It lifted a weight off his shoulders to know that right now, others were there to handle some of the burden...


	6. Apprentice

A/N: Thank you guys SO much for all the feedback, I love you all! :-)

6. Apprentice

Salazar let out a long breath as he sat down in the chair Harry had just vacated, pinching the bridge of his nose as he gathered his thoughts. A pounding headache was starting behind his eyes, and he let out an annoyed huff as he rolled his shoulders in an attempt to ease some of the tension that had gathered there. He couldn't believe the incompetence at work here, the way they were keeping the boy oblivious to almost _everything, _while at the same time using him like some kind of disposable one hit miracle was astonishing. And thoroughly disgusting.

"They are keeping him intentionally uninformed. He doesn't know about mental attacks or how to defend himself, and I mean that in most ways. It really is a fluke, or just dumb luck that the kid survived this long with everything that's been happening. Christ Godric, the boy is a Spellweaver.. a weak and untrained one, but a Weaver none the less… What the Hell is Dumbledore thinking?"

The shock of that revelation showed clearly on Godric's face before he schooled his features, hiding the obvious anger out of habit although he knew Salazar could feel it through the Contract anyhow. His redheaded companion sat down with a heavy and disgusted sigh, and Salazar smirked wryly as he felt the same headache starting to rear its ugly head with Godric as the younger man let that little snippet sink in for a moment.

"There's no excuse for not educating him, but maybe they don't know Harry is a Weaver? There aren't all that many left, it could be that up until now there hasn't been anyone in the boy's life to recognize that ability?" Godric's voice sounded hopeful, but Salazar shook his head.

"I refuse to believe that. If anyone had shown any real interest in that kid at any point in time over the past _four years _he's been here, they would have seen the signs. It would have taken a Weaver to verify the ability, but especially Dumbledore should know how to test for one. And he hasn't. He hasn't even taught the kid Occlumency." And if that wasn't an indication of the disinterest in Harry's wellbeing, Salazar didn't know what was…

He could see Godric swallow almost convulsively at that as he let the implication of the full extent of the child's neglect sink in. Yes, they had provided food and shelter, but their dubious care for the boy literally just stopped there. They expected the boy to save wizarding Britain from what they perceived as the greatest threat it had ever known, but at no time had they put in the effort to train the boy so he was actually prepared to take on that responsibility.

"They are sending him to his death… time and time again…." The pale wizard nodded at Godric's softly spoken words, the anguish and disbelief painfully clear in Godric's voice as the redhead's features twisted in rage and disgust. Salazar frowned as the walls started to shake and his friend's magic throbbed in the air, thick and heavy. It was rare for Godric to lose his composure, but when he did, the consequences could be terrible. "Calm down Godric. We'll take care of it. Apparently the kid is instrumental in Voldemort's defeat somehow, and we're going to figure out why... I don't think we can keep him out of the conflict forever, but for now we will. But next time they put him up against that evil son of a bitch, he will be as prepared as he can be for someone so young, and he won't be alone," he reasoned calmly, using his own magic to reach out and contain Godric's as those hazel eyes flashed back at him.

So much anger… it wasn't often that Godric gave in to showing his emotions like this, and it felt strangely liberating to see and _feel _the man finally let loose. So Salazar did nothing but contain the destruction to their own chambers, Weaving a tight net around the explosion of magic and not allowing any of it to bleed into the rest of the school as he let his friend rage. Through it all, Godric remained seated, body completely still but with eyes ablaze as the room around them twisted and changed until it felt like they were in the eye of a storm... although they weren't surrounded by wind but earth and stone.

Godric was a force to be reckoned with, with his ability to manipulate the earth around him. The younger man's sheer power still managed to surprise him in moments such as these, his magic so much unlike his own it almost felt alien to him...

The outburst took no more than a minute, and Godric came back to himself with a full body flinch and just like that, everything grew still around them. The redhead shuddered, blinking the dust out of his eyes as the rock around them resettled in its original configuration, and Salazar absentmindedly focused his magic into returning everything to its previous condition. He smirked wearily as Godric's hazel eyes searched out his grey ones, and he followed the man with his gaze as the younger man stood up and slowly walked over to where he was still sitting.

There was turmoil in those eyes, and it was obvious that Godric was torn between wanting to protect the boy and take care of Voldemort by themselves, or let whatever was happening now take its course. But for now, Salazar just wanted to repay the boy for all he had been put through, and for everything that had been done to him. No child should have to live through what Harry had lived through, and it was stopping. Now.

"I'll kill him."

Salazar's smirk widened, pale eyes flashing at the soft yet vicious words, and he looked up as Godric came to stand in front of his chair. "No, you won't. Voldemort is Harry's, and the kid is entitled to that kill. When that bastard dies, it'll be at Harry's hands, or at the very least the kid will watch… We will give him the training necessary to get to that point." And he saw how those words hit home as Godric seemed to freeze in response.

The redhaired wizard stared down at him, eyes searching his fiercely for long moments before slowly, all the tension seemed to drain from him at once and he let out a long shuddering breath before scrubbing a hand down his face. "Sal… are you talking about an Apprenticeship?" If Salazar had to put a name to what he recognised in Godric's voice at those words, it would be fear. Fear of their true identities being revealed, fear of what might happen to the both of them if such a scenario were to play out. Salazar could relate to that fear, a cold heaviness settling in his gut as the implications of taking Harry on as an Apprentice sank in…

He had not been expecting this when they'd decided to come to Hogwarts… but he couldn't in good conscience leave the boy to face his death… That and the fact that, as the Spellweaver who'd first identified that Harry shared his rare ability, he was bound by some very ancient laws to offer the boy an Apprenticeship. And the consequences of taking the boy on were far reaching, even by today's wizarding laws.

But he didn't know if he could do this, was unsure if he was capable of being a proper Master like an Apprentice would deserve. Not with his particular brand of magic, and not with the Contract he had with Godric… The last time he'd taken on an Apprentice had been more than 800 years ago, and it had been gruelling, complicated and painful for both the Apprentice in question and himself.

She hadn't been powerful enough… and her magic had reacted to his in ways which made his blood run cold in remembrance even now. He did not want what had happened to her happen to Harry… but at the same time he couldn't keep this opportunity to learn and develop away from the boy either...

Caught between a rock and a hard place. _Damn it all straight to Hell._

"I have to offer it to him Godric, I can't be like his other teachers… But I have to think about the particulars. I'll figure it out." Somehow, he had to.

His friend was looking both fearful and hopeful at the same time, and he sighed tiredly before inclining his head in agreement. Salazar appreciated the obvious faith Godric had in him. He really hoped he could live up to his friend's expectations.

After long moments of silence, Godric rolled his shoulders to release some of the tension and moved to retake his seat. And it was then that he took in the destruction around them and those hazel eyes widened in realization as he saw the shadows move and writhe over the walls, restoring everything while their master sat calmly looking up at him. A tired chuckle escaped the younger wizard's throat, and Salazar's smirk widened. "Look at us, what a pair we are…"

They stayed like that, silent for long moments as the shadows twisted around them, and Salazar closed his eyes as he soaked in Godric's now calm presence. He didn't flinch when Godric changed his mind and instead knelt down in front of him and put his strong, calloused hands on his shoulders. Salazar leaned into the touch slightly as he allowed his own guard to drop now that Godric's outburst had passed and they were within the privacy of their own chambers.

He braced himself as the magic of the castle and everyone in it seeped into his awareness, and he anchored himself in Godric's touch and presence as he extended his consciousness. He sought out Harry, finding him easily with his locket acting like a beacon in the night. The boy was reading, calm focus permeating his senses, and Salazar drew back without disturbing him and reigned in his awareness again as he returned to himself.

"Kid's fine for now… "

"Thank you."

Salazar chuckled wryly as Godric released him and held out a hand to help him up, a hand Salazar accepted with only the slightest hesitation. Some things never changed… Godric smiled at him warmly, and Salazar shot him another small smirk as he reached up to wipe away some of the dust that had settled on the other man's robes.

"Come, let's go clean up. The world can wait for a day longer."


	7. Master

7. Master

Harry whistled a tune to himself as he walked down the corridors and into one of the many courtyards to get some fresh air. It was just after lunch, and he planned on reading another book on potions in preparation for Snape's hellish classes between now and dinner so he would be more ready when term began next week. The courtyard he'd chosen for his midday reading was surrounded by tall spires and walls, the many gargoyles looking down at him with empty stone expressions, and he did a double take as he spotted a figure balancing on top of one of them.

It was the Defense teacher, Simon Winchester.

The man sat crouched, feet close together and looking as comfortable on the small perch as Harry did right there on the ground below him, and Harry gaped. The Professor was dressed in strange robes, long and tapered into a point in the front and back and short at the sides, and layered in a way that would allow for full freedom of movement while still offering protection and concealment where it mattered, worn as it was over a pair of what Harry could only describe as cargo pants. A dragonskin coat was tied at the waist with a deep green sash trimmed with silver. The rest of the clothing was made up off dark greys, blacks and greens, and Harry guessed it would blend very well with a lot of environments, as well as making him look distinctly Slytherin. ..

The style of dress was strange, and it made the Professor look so different, that Harry found himself staring despite of himself.

The older wizard looked down at him with a slight smirk before standing gracefully, and Harry spotted the hilts of two swords from where the weapons hung from the older wizard's belt. But those weren't the only visible weapons the man carried, and Harry's gaze was almost instantly drawn to something else, something so familiar, but so out of place that it took a moment for him to reconcile what he was seeing.

Simon Winchester, Defense against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was carrying two Muggle guns. He could clearly see the two firearms as the older man turned on top of the gargoyle, secure in their twin holsters at the small of his back.

Before Harry could do more than gape, the man leaped off his perch and landed in front of Harry in a low crouch to absorb the impact. He made virtually no sound, and Harry wondered for a moment how someone dressed like that, with that many weapons, could move so silently until the man uncurled himself again and he did hear something. The whispering of cloth, the creaking of leather. It wasn't magic that was silencing the man's movements. It was pure skill.

"I was wondering when you would show up kid. Care to have a walk with me?" Harry nodded in instinctive agreement at that soft spoken, slightly rough voice. All thoughts about potions left him at the prospect of having the opportunity to speak with this man who had offered him help and answers earlier that week. He had been planning on going over to the Professors' quarters after dinner anyway, but the man had beaten him to it, it seemed…

The Professor's smirk transformed into a rare but genuine smile for a fraction of a second before the man turned away and started walking, obviously expecting Harry to follow.

Harry put on a small burst of speed to catch up with the older man's longer strides until he had drawn even, falling in step automatically and allowing him to lead them down the long winding corridors to one of the exits that Harry knew was closest to the Forbidden Forest.

"How have you been sleeping?"

The question took him by surprise for a moment, and he took a second to respond, smiling as he did as he remembered the last few days, or rather nights. "Good. Beyond good… It's the locket, isn't it?" he guessed, feeling a sense of pride as the Professor nodded in affirmation. "Yeah. The fact that you're a Parselmouth makes it all the more effective in offering you protection, as it can connect more easily with your mind. Voldemort won't be getting through that any time soon," the Professor explained as they crossed the grounds and reached the edge of the Forest.

Harry made himself stop at the edge, and it took only a second for the older man to draw to a halt as well. The boy could hear the amusement in the palehaired wizard's voice as he spoke again. "Don't worry kid, I won't let you get hurt, and there's nothing in this Forest that can touch me." There was so much confidence in the man's voice that Harry felt momentarily envious. But it wasn't the kind of arrogance the Malfoy's so readily broadcasted either, and Harry had no doubt that this man could make good on all the claims he made. He wished he could feel so sure of his own abilities, if only once…

In response to the man's statement, he breathed in deeply and nodded before making himself follow again. Simon returned the nod in obvious acceptance of his decision to trust the older man, at least fornow, and they walked in silence after that for what could have been hours before the slender Professor stopped and motioned for him to be silent. Harry did, straining to hear anything but failing to catch anything out of the ordinary. But he did feel the older wizard's magic in the air again, that sense of darkness and death even stronger now that there was no interference from the magic of the man's brother.

And there was so much of it… In most others, Harry could feel there was a limit to the power they wielded, but this felt endless, like staring into a void. It was ruthless and focused in intensity, and so very controlled… Not even Dumbledore's magic felt so completely under its owners' control.

"You feel it." Harry nodded, not having to ask what the man meant, and the Professor chuckled wryly as he looked down at Harry with an unreadable expression on his pale features. "Tell me what you sense Harry. Try to be as complete as possible."

Harry shifted in slight apprehension at the obvious test he'd been given. He had always wondered about this thing he could do, and he had instinctively kept it to himself all these years, yet no one had confronted him about it. Until Simon Winchester had come along… And Harry got the feeling that this Professor knew exactly what Harry's ability was. So he strived to do as instructed as he started talking.

"I feel your magic. It's dark.. It feels like shadows, darkness and death. Quiet, dangerous… It tastes of ashes and decay. Your control of it is unbelievable. And I can sense no end to it, something that I usually can with others, but not with you or your brother," he summed up, starting off hesitantly but getting more sure of himself as he spoke. And then he noticed something else. With most, the magic was contained within the body, and was usually released with the aid of a wand which made it so that with most witches and wizards there was a sort of magical hotspot centered around their hands. Simon didn't havesuch a hotspot, his magic was all within and around him. And there was really only one explanation for that...

"You don't have a wand," he muttered in awe and surprise, and Simon chuckled. "Very good.., you got very far without any formal training. What you can do is rare, I've only met a handful of others who have this ability we have. You're a Spellweaver Harry, and it's about time somebody teaches you how to use that to your advantage."

Harry could only gape. "A what?" Just another thing he hadn't heard off. Only admittedly, Simon had said that it was a rare ability… Maybe Hermione would know what it meant.

Again, those pale eyes found his. "Of course you're free to tell her, although I would advise against it. If nobody knows, nobody can use your ability for their own gain. But ultimately, it's your choice." Harry's chin shot up, taking a step back as he looked at his Professor in surprise. "You read my mind again?" he asked incredulously, grabbing for the locket that was supposed to protect him from just such an intrusion.

The pale wizards merely chuckled darkly. "You're projecting. And that won't help you, it'll never move against me," he offered, pointing at the locket for a moment before he moved to sit down on the grass in the middle of the clearing they were in. Harry looked at him with suspicion, but he didn't sense any evil intentions from the slender wizard. Although surely, he would be able to hide that if he did…

Harry felt suddenly unsure, with this man he barely knew and who was telling him all these things. No one had bothered to tell him anything before, why would this guy help him if he didn't have any ulterior motives? Why would he invest in Harry if there wasn't anything to gain?

"Because I'm not interested in anything you have to offer. I'm doing this because most people are doing you a disservice by keeping you uninformed. You're a tool, and you've been used as such since you were a baby... A means to an end. Dumbledore doesn't care about you, his disinterest in your wellbeing by leaving you with those relatives of yours is enough proof of that. And then he goes on and doesn't teach you anything. If you expect somebody to be your weapon, the least you should do is care for it. Train it. Hone it. He has done none of these things."

Harry felt his face flushing at the man's ruthlessly delivered speech. He hated how he was the subject of that, but he knew there was truth in those calmly spoken words. He had been used. People were always out to use him, without any regard for _him._ He swallowed hard and made himself look down at the palehaired wizard, feeling heat burn behind his eyes as emotion threatened to overwhelm him. He felt disgusted with himself, for feeling the way he did and for allowing this crap to happen to him. And he was so weak, so very weak. What Simon had said earlier that week, that him surviving must have been a fluke, couldn't be more true the way he felt now. He wanted to feel anger, hate even, but all he could do was feel disgust at his own incompetence.

"I never asked for any of this…" he muttered, voice quivering as he sat down heavily on the grass opposite the other man, suddenly too drained to stay on his feet. Simon simply remained silent as he hiccupped and his shoulders started shaking with silent sobs as the dam broke. He had always cried silently, had learned to be quiet from a very young age, and it made him feel slightly less undignified as he had his mental breakdown in front of his teacher.

"… why? Why are you helping me?" he asked breathlessly after the worst of it had passed, dragging one of his sleeves over his eyes to dry them as he waited for an answer.

There was another long pause, and the Professor sighed with a weariness that surprised Harry enough to make him look up at the older man. The slender wizard wasn't looking at him, but was staring down at the back of his left hand, where part of that strange tattoo snaked out from beneath his sleeves, seemingly lost in thought as those pale eyes grew cold and distant, but the expression was gone before Harry could really identify its full meaning. "Because I know what it's like to be a tool, and you deserve a better shot at life," he responded after long moments, voice flat with a pain Harry didn't understand, but with an honesty and openness that shook him to his core.

He had seen the way this man approached the other Professors, with wariness and distrust. For him to lay himself bare like this…

"Thank you."

Pale grey met emerald green, and Harry poured all the gratitude he felt into his gaze, and some of the hardness in those strange eyes softened as the Defense Professor snorted.

"Don't thank me yet kid, none of this will be easy. And I haven't done anything for you yet."

Harry shook his head in disagreement. "That's not true. You've been honest. You've treated me like a human being, not a weapon. And now you're offering to teach me how to become stronger and better than I am… You've done more than most already," he admitted solemnly, and was gratified when the older wizard gave a curt nod in acceptance.

"It'll take time out of your usual schedule. I don't want others to know I'm teaching you Spellweaving, and I advise you to keep your ability to yourself although I understand you want to tell your friends... But be discreet... There's only so much I can do to protect you."

Harry nodded to indicate he understood. He would keep it to himself for now, at least until he felt more sure of himself.

"So, what is a Spellweaver…" he asked after another short pause, and Simon's lips quirked up into a small smile. "A witch or wizard with the innate ability to manipulate magic at the source. I can tap into the magic around me even if it isn't mine and use it for my own purposes. If you're fast enough, it's possible to take a spell as it is cast and unravel it or use it yourself. Warding is also better done by a Spellweaver, as we can twist the magic very effectively into the kind of protection we want. It's more instinctive and versatile than having to rely on wands and spells. It's incredibly draining at first, but the payoff is complete freedom in your use of magic."

The older wizard looked at Harry closely, and Harry fidgeted as he suddenly felt like he was being dissected by that deceptively cool gaze before the slender Professor continued.

"Since Spellweavers are so extremely rare, I as a Master am obliged by global wizarding law to offer you a formal Apprenticeship… There are limits to what I can teach you in a short period without the Master-Apprentice bond. Consider my offer closely before even thinking of accepting, it's not a short term commitment we're talking about here, and I have to warn you that it won't be without risk."

Harry nodded to indicate he understood, although he had to admit the implications were still vague to him. Simon must have seen the insecurity in his gaze, and he chuckled low in his throat as he leaned back expectantly. Harry smiled back as he relaxed again and nodded. "Alright, I'll think about it, _carefully_, after I've found out what an Apprenticeship is…" he said with slight self-deprecation in his voice. That investigation was something he wanted to do on his own. Of course he could ask his teacher, but he wanted to find out himself, just to be completely sure he had covered all the angles and considered all the consequences, in his own time.

But there was another question he'd been wanting to ask, ever since he'd observed the man that day in his quarters.

"You're a Parselmouth… I've always been told me and Voldemort are the only ones alive who are."

Simon raised an eyebrow. "Then those people were lying or ignorant. It's rare, but more Parselmouths exist than just us. It's not something that's only passed on in the Slytherin bloodlines either. But most don't really showcase the skill freely, for obvious reasons."

Harry laughed, feeling slightly silly for having believed a skill was unique to just him and Voldemort, but the man's answer did raise another point of interest. He reached up and pulled the locket out from underneath his robes, holding it up to the light and letting it catch some stray rays of sunlight. "I tried to find out more about this… Was this Salazar Slytherin's locket?" he asked cautiously, surprised when the Professor simply inclined his head. "How did you get it?" he continued, awe clear in his voice as he stared alternately between the locket and this mysterious teacher that had just shown up a week ago and had already put everything on its head.

The man smirked coolly before pushing himself to his feet again, moving with that constant deadly grace Harry had come to associate with him over the past days. "It's a family heirloom, I've had it for ages," he answered simply, offering Harry a hand up which he accepted without even thinking about it. The contact sent a jolt of static down his arm, and Harry gasped as he stumbled momentarily before catching himself before staring down at where their hands were still locked. He quickly withdrew from the hold, blinking in confusion at the strange sensation, one he couldn't quite place.

Simon appeared not to have noticed as he brushed off his clothes and started to walk the path back the way they had come, and Harry jogged a bit to catch up as the older man started to push through the thick underbrush.

"Why tell me all this here, why not back at Hogwarts?" the boy asked after several minutes had passed, and the Professor answered without looking at him. "Because the walls of Hogwarts have eyes and ears.. You'd do well to remember that."

Harry sucked in a sharp breath at that, and he once again clutched at the locket in a movement which was becoming a strange, yet comforting, habit. If what Simon said was true…

He would certainly have to keep that in mind…


	8. The Feast

Alright, sorry for the wait. And thanks again for reading and reviewing! For those of you who are interested in more backstory on Godric and Salazar, I've posted a companion piece which delves deeper into their pasts, Pariah. I'd love to hear what you think of it as well :-)

8. The Feast

Godric looked up as the room suddenly grew darker. Shadows gathered more closely for a split second before his partner seemed to appear in a whirl of dissipating black smoke, and he smiled as Salazar stepped out of the shadows and walked towards his desk. They could Apparate within the walls, as Hogwarts was tuned to their magic, but it would surely alert Dumbledore and that was some attention they really didn't want. But Salazar could Shadowwalk.. and there was nothing any wizard would be able to do to detect or stop that.

"The feast will be starting in fifteen minutes, so make yourself presentable," the pale wizard announced, and Godric blinked before looking down at himself. No, it probably wouldn't do to appear at the opening feast in just his trousers.

Salazar sat down at the edge of Godric's desk, and Godric's brow furrowed in mild concern as he felt the tension radiating from the other man. "You okay Sal?" he asked carefully, knowing that the feast was something Salazar had been dreading since they knew they would be teaching here. It was unfortunate that, as a new Professor, he was required to attend it.

Salazar didn't handle crowds well, his training and instinct sending him into a state of hyper awareness which was incredibly draining to maintain, but something he couldn't help at all. That, and Godric knew Salazar feared that something would happen which could trigger him into action. When Salazar reacted, it was usually instantaneous and final…

The older man shook his head in reply to the question, and Godric slowly got up, walking around the desk until they were face to face.

Those pale eyes instantly focused on him with hawk-like intensity, and Godric deliberately and slowly reached out to touch the other man's neck, thumb reaching up to stroke the older wizard's sharp jawline. At the first contact, Salazar flinched, and Godric sighed deeply. "You'll do fine. You would never hurt one of the students Sal, if you don't trust yourself, trust in that. And in me."

Salazar continued to watch him, and a sad little half smile that pulled at Godric's heart twisted his lips at those words. "Yeah, I know," he replied after averting his gaze and pulling away from the touch as he stood. Godric watched him as he stalked towards the door and he moved to get dressed in a hurry before following his partner.

He wondered if the feasts these days were as eventful as the ones they used to have…

Salazar was waiting for him in the hall, and together they made their way towards the Great Hall. It didn't take long before they could make out the excited noises of hundreds of students, and the sound filled Godric with a sense of contentment. It had been too long…

They met with the other Professors and filed into the Great Hall to sit at the staff table before the students started to file in, and he took in the sights and sounds around him with relish as he sat down and watched the doors expectantly. It was easy to pick out the first years as they stared up in awe at the ceiling Rowena had created, and he smiled at the giddy energy that filled the air as all the other students who'd already been sorted in previous years sat down at their House tables.

He picked out Harry's face from the crowd easily, and the kid was locked in excited conversation with a redheaded boy and a bushy haired girl who were obviously very close to him. Godric was glad the boy seemed to have such close friends, and he looked sideways at Salazar to see the other man had also spotted the trio from amidst the sea of unfamiliar faces. It was also painfully obvious with just that glance that Salazar was barely keeping himself from bolting at the sensory overload of taking everything in, checking for any threats, and Godric found himself tensing up as well as none other than Severus Snape sat down on the other side of his partner.

Shit…

Of all the teachers, of course it had to be the Potions Master. Snape and Salazar had not reconciled over the past days, and as if sensing a weakness, the black haired man was moving in for the proverbial kill as he moved into Salazar's sphere of personal space to reach for a pitcher of juice while very deliberately putting a hand on the slender wizard's shoulder. Salazar's reaction was instantaneous, and Godric knew it was taking all of his self-restraint as he grabbed the offensive limb that was resting on his shoulder with one hand and simply _twisted._

The movement was small enough, and done fast enough that there weren't many who noticed _why_ Professor Snape was suddenly on the floor underneath the staff table, taking glass and silverware with him, but everyone certainly noticed that he _was_, the entire student body breaking out in excited calls and cheers as the ill-liked Professor scrambled back to his feet in a rage and cradling his injured wrist. Several of the other Professors shot upright at the commotion, and Godric cursed when Snape drew his wand on the slender, pale haired wizard who hadn't moved since putting the man on the floor. But instead of retaliating, Salazar remained seated, his entire posture visibly screaming with murderous fury as he looked back at Snape with cold grey eyes.

The entire Great Hall went silent as the two wizards stared at each other in challenge, and Godric held his breath as Salazar slowly pushed back his chair and stood, drawing himself up to his full height. He was still a head shorter than Snape, but that didn't seem to matter as his presence seemed to add a full foot of height as he came to stand in front of Snape, the taller man's wand pointed at his throat threateningly. Salazar raised his chin slightly, in obvious challenge, and Snape released a furious snarl, wandhand trembling in barely suppressed rage as Salazar adopted a military parade rest, hands clasped behind his back and feet a shoulder width apart.

"You got something to say to me Severus?" Salazar hissed, his hoarse voice even rougher than usual, and Godric recognized the strain in that voice as he took note of the shadows writhing slowly in readiness in the dark corners of the Hall. His friend was fighting to keep them under control, to prevent them from reacting and lashing out in response to Salazar's emotions to protect their master, and the amount of effort it took was something only he would recognize as Salazar still appeared as the poster child of calm composure.

There was an internal war going on, and Salazar's impeccable control and experience were the only reasons Snape was still alive. And the bastard didn't even know it…

Snape's breathing was harsh and angry, the tip of his wand now digging into Salazar's throat, but Salazar never moved, not even when Dumbledore stepped between the two men and gently but firmly grasped Snape's hand and pulled it away from Salazar's exposed throat. The old man didn't say a word, but Snape nodded curtly and sat down again, and Salazar followed his example without comment after exchanging a meaningful glare with the Potions Professor. The tension in the Hall dissipated as everyone seemed to release a collective sigh of relief as the crisis seemed to be averted, at least for now, and even Godric relaxed as Salazar briefly touched his shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, and spoke when the murmurs died down again, introducing the two of them as the new Defense teachers, and Godric was glad to see the excitement the short announcement brought about. He'd known the previous Professors had been incompetent at best, and downright dangerous in some occasions… He was truly looking forward to actually teach these kids something useful. Especially now… there was a war coming, and while most of these children didn't realize that yet, they would. And probably far too soon.

Finally, the sorting ceremony started, and it didn't take long before he picked up on the tension between two of the House tables in particular. A sideways glance at his companion confirmed that Salazar had noticed it as well, and Godric sighed regretfully. It seemed the infamous rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin House had not been exaggerated. He thought he would be more grateful than Salazar if this feast ended without any more mishaps…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The feast finished without further incident, but as soon as the two new Professors had set foot outside the Hall, Salazar found himself once again cornered by the tall Potions Master. Snape's posture was stiff as he performed a formal bow he knew Godric would recognize as well, and Salazar halted as he was issued the challenge he'd been waiting for since first laying eyes on the tall wizard.

"Simon Winchester. I challenge you to a formal duel at a time of your choosing," the black haired man spat with righteous anger, and Salazar's eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked coolly back at the other man. The tension in the air was palpable, and several of the other Professors had halted as well, only the ones who needed to be elsewhere excused themselves with obvious reluctance as they were clearly curious about what would happen next.

The taller wizard was looking down his nose at him in challenge, dark eyes glittering, and Salazar's lips twisted into a wicked smirk. Finally.

"I'll give you one chance to bail out with your pride intact."

Snape's eyes widened briefly in surprise at his reply, but his jaw clenched as he snarled back. "Do you agree?" he asked more forcefully this time, and Salazar's smirk twisted into an unnerving grin. "One hour, bring your medic," he hissed as he pushed past the other man and started down the hall back to his and Godric's quarters, and he felt his partner join him after several paces. They didn't speak until they were back within the safety of their warded room, and Salazar grunted as Godric grabbed his shoulders and pushed him up against the wall next to the door none too gently as soon as the door had slammed shut.

Angry hazel eyes met his, and Salazar chuckled darkly as Godric cursed. "Damnit Salazar, what the Hell are you thinking!? You can't kill him, I won't let you."

Salazar's blood ran cold at the implication of that, but he forced himself to remain calm as he looked back at his lifelong friend with slight betrayal in his gaze. To think the other man thought so little of his control… that he would issue an Order to keep him from doing something he hadn't been planning on in the first place. Yes, he had reacted instinctively earlier, and it had been hard to keep his Shadow magic at bay, but he was used to that. And Godric knew this.

"I wasn't planning to Godric. I'll even let him get some good hits in before I mop the floor with him. Am I allowed to do that, or do you still feel the need to order me otherwise." His voice sounded rough even to his own ears, and he swallowed as Godric's hold on him tightened momentarily before he was released and the redhead stepped away from him, his whole posture radiating anxiety. Salazar resisted the urge to comfort the other man, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the wall where Godric had left him.

Godric never threatened him with an Order unless he was really worried about something, and although Salazar understood the man's fear, could feel it through the bond they shared because of the Contract, it didn't mean that a threat was justified. Godric didn't want their chances here ruined. And that was understandable, agreeable even. But Snape was a nuisance who had to be put in his place, or he would bother Salazar endlessly until he finally drove him into doing something he might actually regret later, if only for the consequences. And as far as permanent solutions went, this one was actually rather elegant.

"I don't really care what you think of it. He started this thing with me, and I'm ending it. Today. I don't need or want your approval. Just…" he trailed off, releasing an angry hiss of frustration as he pushed away from the wall and grabbed Godric by the arm, roughly turning the other man around so he could look into those familiar hazel eyes as he continued. "Just let me do this my way. Can you do that? Do you trust me enough to let me do that?"

It was a brutal question, he knew it was, and Godric physically flinched away at the harshly spoken enquiry. There was no trace of humor in those normally warm eyes as the redhead ran his hand roughly through his hair in a nervous gesture Salazar knew well, before nodding sharply.

Salazar inclined his head in calm acceptance at the response, and Godric released a tight laugh as he turned to meet his gaze. "He has been asking for an asskicking, hasn't he."

Salazar's returning smirk was answer enough. Had the bastard ever.


	9. Duel

A big thanks to all of you who reviewed, followed and favorited, I love you guys :-) And the virtual cookies helped!

9. Duel

Barely an hour after the challenge was issued, the two wizards stood facing each other in the middle of the Quidditch pitch, half the student body from the fourth year and above watching them from the stands as somehow word had spread like wildfire that there would be a formal duel between the new Defense Professor and the Head of Slytherin House. Initially, Snape had protested their presence, but Salazar had made a good argument about it being a very educational demonstration, and he had been quite pleased when old Dumbledore had actually picked his side on the argument and allowed them to stay, although he had sent away the first to third years. He wasn't averse to putting this man in place publicly.

It wasn't the first time Salazar had dueled in front of students, but it was the first time such a duel was taking place because of a formal challenge issued to him. In the past, when they had still been teaching, it had usually been him and Godric dueling for the sake of demonstration. And while duelling was in no way Godric's specialty, the younger man did have a certain talent for it and had become quite proficient over the years... He doubted Snape would offer much in terms of a serious challenge, but he wasn't about to underestimate the man. It only took one serious misstep to lose a formal duel. This was not a no holds barred fight he had gotten used to over the past centuries, and it wouldn't be wise to end it without pretending to make an effort… He was not about to let on how powerful he really was, that would draw far too much unwanted attention to both him and Godric. In that respect, him being a Spellweaver was bad enough.

Salazar waited calmly as Dumbledore went through the terms with them, nodding when it was required to show his agreement to the rules that had been set. There would be no weapons, no physical contact which was really too bad, and as was governed by law, no Unforgivables. The two Professors exchanged a look at that. From what he had gathered about the other man, he was an experienced fighter, and a Death Eater to boot, and they both knew that Unforgivables were in no way the worst spells magic had to offer.

He wondered how far the other man was willing to go…

"Gentlemen, take your places." Salazar rolled his shoulders in preparation, welcoming the familiar rush of adrenaline as he walked over to his indicated mark while Snape did the same, and he grinned in anticipation as he extended his senses and Wove a tight shield around himself before he had even reached his spot. He watched calmly as Snape cast his own Shield spell, noting the look of determination on the other man's face.

"Begin!"

The students all went still at the magically enhanced announcement, but neither man moved, both waiting for the other to start off the fight.

Eventually, it was Snape who made the first move, and Salazar's eyes narrowed as he concentrated on the soundlessly cast curse hurtling towards him. It was a quite harmless cutting curse, one meant to draw out a reaction, and Salazar crossed his arms as he waited for the spell to get closer before unraveling it effortlessly with a small flex of his magic. The streak of light dissolved in a rain of harmless sparks a few feet in front of him and the display drew collective gasps of confusion and bewilderment from the students on the stands.

"Goddamned Spellweaver!" Salazar laughed at the angrily hissed curse, uncrossing his arms as he started to approach the other man. "Surely you devised a strategy against that before challenging me," he stated, satisfied by the stubborn and calculating glint in the other man's eyes. He had done some asking around about Snape, knew the man was considered a brilliant strategist and a cunning fighter. He had to admit, he was actually looking forward to this.

It was hard for an ordinary wizard to beat a Spellweaver in a duel, if not in a serious fight, but not impossible. Salazar was counting on this man to at least give him a bit of an exercise. It was unreasonable to expect this man, who had about a thousand years less experience to draw from, to beat him fairly. He would do what he had promised Godric. Give him some openings before finishing this. But that didn't mean this couldn't be entertaining.

"Alright Winchester. You asked for it."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Harry had been one of the first students to realize what was going on, and he, Hermione and Ron had a good view of the Quidditch pitch below as the two Professors squared off. None of them were talking, all enthralled by what was happening below them, and Harry found himself completely mesmerized by what he was sensing, and sometimes, seeing.

If this was what it meant to be a Spellweaver… it didn't matter what the cost was…

While the other students were at a loss as to what the new Defense Professor was actually doing, Harry was all too aware. Spells and curses were unraveled harmlessly, or rewoven and used again by the pale haired man as if it was his own magic. The air was alive with crackling energy as the slender wizard shaped the magic into dangerous attacks and solid defenses, and Harry almost felt giddy at the prospect of learning how to do all of what he was seeing and experiencing now.

It was intoxicating.

And then there were the spells he didn't even bother to unravel, but simply dodged, moving and twisting effortlessly between curses that were not even visible to normal wizards. The man moved with precision and efficiency that could only come from years and years of battle, and Harry found himself wondering about Simon and Gabriel Winchester more and more as the fight went on. Where had these men come from….?

Gabriel Winchester was standing next to Dumbledore, watching the fight with an intensity Harry hadn't seen from him to this day, and Harry returned his attention to the fight as suddenly Snape released a powerful burst of magic.

And Harry realized that up until that point, the two wizards had just been sizing each other up as suddenly the air seemed to catch on fire with sheer power.

And it got serious.

Curses were exchanged in rapid succession, and Harry's brow furrowed in confusion when after a time he started to realize that the Defense Professor was holding back. Severely. He could sense the restraint the man was exercising, and he flinched in surprise and disbelief whenever a curse was actually _let through_ the slender wizard's otherwise impenetrable and solid defenses. Snape was strong, but not _that_ strong.

What on earth was he doing…?

It was obvious to everyone watching that Snape was clearly outclassed, but Harry could actually see the imbalance, could feel the sheer overwhelming power Simon Winchester was holding back. The enigmatic wizard was drawing this out on purpose.

Until one curse Simon let through his defenses seemed to do unexpected and serious damage. Harry and some of the other students exclaimed in horror as the Defense Professor stumbled backwards several steps, clutching his side before sagging to one knee as he continued to block the ongoing assault somehow effortlessly despite the injury. Harry recognized the surprise in those pale grey eyes from where he sat, the emotion followed by cold fury as Dumbledore called a halt to the duel. Or tried to.

Simon snarled angrily, and the air grew heavy and thick as he ignored the Headmaster's concern and straightened up again. Snape didn't seem ready to quit either, but to Harry it was obvious that fun and games were over.

And Snape never had a hope.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Salazar grunted in surprise as he let the incoming curse through his defensive shield, eyes narrowing as he realized his mistake. This was bad… He quickly squashed the instinct to simply block it, instead choosing to render it as harmless as he still could without showing too much of what he was capable of and braced himself for what was surely to become painful.

And as the modified cutting curse hit, he found himself unable to keep his footing, and he staggered back as he allowed the force of the curse to drive him to his knees.

The pain was excruciating, but he worked past it in favour of focussing on the battle, and the one who had attacked him so brutally despite the formal rules. Cold fury threatened to overcome him, and he clenched his jaw as he pushed back to his feet right as Dumbledore made a move to call a halt to the duel.

But Snape wasn't going to get away with this. He wasn't going to allow it.

He narrowed his eyes in concentration, recognizing the look of surprise and mounting fear on his opponent's visage as he straightened. He could feel the blood starting to soak through the front of his battle robes, and he took quick mental inventory of how bad the injury was. The cut was deep, and long, but he would be able to hold out for another few minutes at least before he had to allow his Shadow Magic to heal him.

A few minutes was all he needed.

He didn't give Snape an opportunity to react as he unleashed his first truly debilitating attack since the start of the duel, which Snape tried to block but couldn't as the magic was simply too overwhelmingly powerful for the younger wizard to handle. As the Potions Master was sent flying back by the force of the impact of the assault, he proceeded to weave a complicated pattern of magic around the younger man. He allowed himself a small smirk of satisfaction at the cry of agony that was ripped out of the Potions Master's throat as he set off the effects of the Weave one by one, unleashing a sequence of spells meant solely to cause as much pain as possible without causing any real permanent damage. Even though all he really wanted to do was to end this man….

Salazar watched coldly as the string of magic ran its course, ignoring the sense of urgency and worry which was radiating from Godric as he waited for the spells to hit their mark. It was gratifying to see that Snape didn't lose consciousness before the last spell hit. He wanted the man to feel all of it. Fully. The son of a bitch didn't deserve the relief unconsciousness would offer.

They were going to have a serious talk once the man was able to speak comprehensibly again. That curse would have killed him if he hadn't unraveled the brunt of it before it hit. And while he couldn't just take care of the younger man right here… there were other ways to make people disappear without a trace. And that was exactly what was going to happen to the younger wizard if Snape didn't give him some satisfactory answers. And soon.

But those answers were going to have to wait for now. The sudden silence around him was short lived as Dumbledore called an end to the duel as Snape crumpled to the grass, unmoving, and the Headmaster proceeded to dismiss the students while quickly casting a concealing charm around the pitch so the students wouldn't be able to see what was happening. The Headmaster threw a worried glance at Snape, who was already being cared for by Hogwarts' Mediwitch Madam Pomfrey and two of her assistants, before starting across the pitch towards him. To his chagrin he noticed Dumbledore was also accompanied by a Healer.

Salazar shifted his stance, hissing at the surge of pain the movement caused, but he ignored it as the Headmaster came to stand in front of him. The man's eyes once again were filled with that greed Salazar had recognized in them before, and his own eyes narrowed as the old wizard spoke. "That was… as remarkable as it was brutal. Come speak to me later this week, there's much we need to discuss."

Before Salazar could formulate a reply, Dumbledore had turned away and moved to follow the procession of Medic's off the pitch, and the pale haired wizard felt a coldness settle in his veins at the man's words which had nothing to do with his injury. He had a creeping suspicion he wasn't going to like that talk. But right now, there were more pressing matters, like the Healer who was approaching him, and he sighed in anger and frustration as he refused her help and forced himself to start walking towards where he could see Godric standing a small distance away trying to dissuade another one of those damned Healers.

All he needed right now was to get back to their quarters so he could take care of this mess by himself. He had to lick these wounds in private...


	10. Complications

Wow, thanks again for all the kind words. You're what motivate me to write! Also, slight **warnings **apply to this chapter: there will be some blood and a bit of foul language because Sal is not a happy camper. As always, let me know what you guys think :-)

10. Complications

Godric cursed as as soon as the door to their quarters banged shut, Salazar doubled over and gagged as he spat out a disturbing amount of blood, and the trail the slender wizard left behind him as he stumbled into the large bathroom unsettled the broad redhead greatly as he moved to follow.

The older man had refused medical care, and Godric had convinced the worried Mediwitch Madam Pomfrey that it wasn't as serious as it looked and that he would be able to take care of it. It wouldn't do for any of the other Professors to find out about Salazar's Shadow magic, and they would surely realize something was off about the other man's magic if they tried to Heal him and failed… And he knew Salazar had really not been planning on getting hurt bad enough to need a medic in the first place.

He followed swiftly, watching in silence as Salazar stripped out of his robes and Muggle undershirt with painful, jerky motions, throwing the blood-soaked clothes aside before holding a trembling hand to the gaping wound just above his right hip, the cut running all the way up to his breastbone. That was worse than he had expected, and the blood still flowed freely between the pale man's fingers as he sat down on the floor underneath one of the showerheads, and to Godric's dismay some of the blood he could see was frothing slightly.

Which was a clear indication that the cut was deep enough to have damaged a lung. This day just kept on giving.

"Salazar, breathe," he ushered sternly as he knelt in front of the other man, grabbing his shoulders to push him slightly more upright so the action would cost less effort. If this were anyone else, Godric would fear for his life. As it was, he was still sick to his stomach with worry, but in the end he knew his partner would be okay. He always was.

Salazar wheezed in rapid, agonizing gasps, eyes closed in concentration as he focused his Shadow magic into healing his body. As always, Godric felt awe at the other wizard's power as painfully slowly, the bleeding stopped and the wound was covered in darkness as the unnatural magic took hold.

"Goddamn piece of shit… Fuck..!" Salazar choked out in cold fury, and Godric wasn't sure if the anger was actually directed at Snape or at Salazar himself as the pale haired wizard sucked in ragged breaths, the air around him pulsing with dark energy. This inhuman magic was not meant for Healing, but it sped up the healing process to an incredible rate so that potentially fatal wounds like the one Salazar had suffered could be healed in a matter of hours instead of weeks. Unfortunately, it was not the instant cure-all conventional magic could be.

"I'm going to grab the kit… You okay for now?" A nod was all he received in answer, but it was enough, and the redhead quickly went to retrieve their medical supplies. When he returned, Salazar had somehow gotten back to his feet and turned on the shower, and the water ran red as the slender wizard stood under the spray, still dressed from the waist down. He almost jumped in as the injured man carefully toed off his boots and kicked them to the side, almost losing his balance in the process, but he managed to steady himself just in time. So Godric restrained himself and continued to watch in silence as the older wizard slowly and gingerly washed away the blood, revealing what had previously been hidden from view.

Already, the bleeding had stopped, but it was obvious breathing was a struggle as Salazar coughed harshly several times, choking on more blood as he doubled over slightly again in an attempt to ease some of the discomfort. The aftermath left him breathless and gasping for air, and Godric felt frustrated at his inability to help his friend as he fought to pull air into his lungs. The redhaired wizard had to grudgingly admire the sheer willpower it must have taken for Salazar to have hidden this until they were safely back in their rooms.

This would not be healed by tomorrow… Not completely. He wondered how badly off Snape was, but he quickly discarded that train of thought as unimportant as Salazar was caught up in another round of wrecking coughs. The pale haired wizard groaned hoarsely as the coughing ceased finally, blood still dripping from his lips as he spat out a mouthful before tipping his head back and allowing the water to run down his face, bracing his hands against the tiles to steady himself as he closed his eyes.

He was a mess, and Godric felt his chest tighten as the older man shut off the spray and turned around and looked at him. Those pale grey irises were dark with pain, but remarkably sharp and aware as Salazar blinked water out of his eyes. The wound was still raw and angry, but as the bleeding had now stopped completely he could already see the skin knitting closed underneath the dark tendrils twisting around the edges of the vicious cut across his partner's abdomen.

In two days, the only evidence that there had ever been an injury would be yet another scar…

Salazar dried himself off with a quick burst of magic before making his way back into his bedroom, holding the walls for support until he reached his destination, and he eased himself down slowly until he was sitting on the edge of the bed, chest heaving as he panted shallowly. Godric waited until the older man was settled before digging into the medical kit in search of the special brand of Muggle painkillers they kept around for situations like these, keeping a close watch on the man's breathing as every gasp for air rattled in an unsettling manner. Magic might not help Salazar, but they had found out that Muggle medication sometimes had at least some effect, and after a lot of trial and error they had eventually found something which managed to dull the pain slightly, if nothing else.

This injury was unfortunate in that organ damage took longer to repair than simple wounds… he would probably feel the effects of this particular cut for a good while longer after it was healed.

"What happened?" he asked softly as he handed over two small pills, and Salazar chuckled roughly before popping the medication into his mouth and swallowing them dry. "The bastard disguised that curse… it was a modified cutting curse, one I haven't seen before," he had to pause for a moment, and Godric put a gentle hand on the pale man's breastbone, feeling the harsh shallow movement beneath his fingertips as Salazar continued. "When I realized what was going to happen, it was too late to block without revealing too much of what I can do, so I took a gamble… And I still cancelled out most of it when it hit. I don't know what the Hell he was thinking throwing around a curse like that."

Godric cursed. It was as he had suspected, Salazar had deliberately taken the hit… And he couldn't even fault his reasoning. It wouldn't do for anyone to find out how powerful they really were. This wasn't the time, they had to figure out more about Voldemort's rise in power before they risked revealing themselves like that.

Even if it cost them this. But what Snape had done was worrying also. Curses like the one Salazar had just described were normally not used in a duel, as the point was not to kill one's opponent. If Salazar had been less of a wizard… This was not how he'd imagined that duel to go down, and neither had Salazar, but he was relieved that the injury was not the result of a curse Salazar couldn't block, but rather one that he had chosen not to.

Which made all the difference, but he didn't have to like it.

The redhead sighed, suddenly sick and tired of the entire situation, and he looked away. "Sleep, or at least try to… I'll come check on you later." He moved to stand, but before he could get up completely Salazar grabbed the back of his robes, effectively stopping the motion. The redhaired wizard allowed himself to be pulled back down onto the edge of the bed, shifting his position so he could face Salazar more fully as his brow furrowed in question.

The other man scrubbed a hand down his face with a weary sigh, and Godric noted with a small sense of relief that at least the older man's hand was steady, but the feeling didn't last as Salazar spoke. "There's something else… Dumbledore, he wants to 'discuss' some things with me." Salazar's voice clearly reflected his own sense of apprehension and reluctance at the prospect, and Godric had to force himself to remain seated, to not follow his first instinctive reaction and go meet with Dumbledore himself. He didn't want Salazar to have to deal with the manipulative old Headmaster, not in the state he was in. "When?"

The older wizard cleared his throat painfully, and Godric winced in sympathy at the sound as Salazar struggled to sit up straighter, his left hand pressed over the remains of the injury protectively as he pushed himself up. "This week. I don't know what he's playing at, but I have a really bad feeling about this.. He knows a lot more than he's letting on." Which was exactly what Godric was afraid of… But there wasn't much they could do about their suspicions before they figured out the true extent of Dumbledore's knowledge, and there was really only one safe way to find out now. He could hardly invade the man's mind, not without risking detection, and that would probably only make things worse. And as he looked back at the man sitting next to him, he could see Salazar had already come to that same conclusion.

"Take a few days Sal… don't rush this, Dumbledore can wait." Godric really didn't want to give the Headmaster more of an edge than he already had. And while he knew Salazar was perfectly capable of handling himself even now, their aim wasn't to escalate things here. They'd only been at Hogwarts for a couple of weeks, and already things were starting to spin out of their control… but there was nothing left to do now except to roll with the punches. He just hoped they hadn't underestimated the risks in coming here.

"I'll be fine Godric. If anything, the old man is cautious… he won't start anything, not this early in the game. I think he's just testing the waters."

Godric sincerely wished he could believe the older wizard, but there was a feeling of dread settling in the pit of his stomach. The way things were going for them now, this could only end badly.


	11. Hermione

Thanks to everyone for reading, you guys are inspiring :-)

11. Hermione

As the students made their way back to their respective common rooms, it was obvious that the excitement brought about by the duel was not going to die down anytime soon. It was like something had taken possession of the entire student body, and it didn't go unnoticed to Harry that it suddenly appeared as if the lines which divided the Houses were blurred. Ravenclaws were talking excitedly to Slytherins, and he could see Ron, who was walking a little ways in front of him, exclaiming in disbelief as the Hufflepuff trotting along besides him blurted out something Harry didn't catch.

And while some of the Slytherins seemed concerned about the wellbeing of their Head of House, most of them also seemed quite enthusiastic at the prospect of having Professor Winchester as their new Defense teacher. And Harry couldn't agree more with that last part. He really could care less about Snape.

As they approached the Gryffindor dorms, the throng of students thinned and Harry glanced to the side furtively and met Hermione's gaze as he slowed his pace, and to his relief she caught on almost immediately and followed his example. The duo managed to get to the back of the group unnoticed, and Harry grasped his friend's wrist as he gently but quickly pulled her into a corridor which would lead them back outside. Simon's words still rang true… he wasn't going to talk about this with her where anyone would be able to overhear without them ever noticing.

"Harry, where are we going?" Hermione hissed in a low whisper, and Harry shot her a reassuring look over his shoulder as he pulled her along. The halls were virtually empty now, all their fellow students probably already back in the dorms as ordered, and he was fairly confident that they wouldn't be running into any teachers. The entire staff was probably just as riled up as the students about what had just happened… And while he was worried about Simon, he also knew instinctively that the older wizard would be fine. He wouldn't have let that curse hit him otherwise.

Hermione released a frustrated huff at his lack of an answer, but she did allow him to lead her through the halls, and it wasn't until they were outside that Harry released her. He continued to walk, and felt a smile pull at his lips as he heard her fall in step behind her, their footsteps near silent as the grass beneath their feet absorbed almost all sound. As they reached the edge of the lake, Harry finally turned around, meeting Hermione's confused gaze as she drew to a halt as well. "Harry?" she enquired once again, almost hesitantly, and Harry felt slightly guilty about confusing her. But it was for the best. They could talk safely here.

"'Mione, I want to ask you something…. but before I do you have to promise me you won't say a word about this to anyone." He had debated the wisdom of this with himself long and hard, if he was going to let her in on this secret he had. She had never betrayed his trust before, and he had to admit he needed to confide in someone…. and she had been the obvious choice really. Ron was…. well, he was Ron. And while Harry trusted Ron, there was something which kept him from trusting him with this particular knowledge.. Maybe it was the niggling sense that Ron would probably be jealous of him. Again. And he really didn't need that kind of drama right now. He needed someone who wasn't going to judge him, he needed someone who was going to help him and support him.

So yeah… Hermione.

She was looking at him worriedly before answering like he knew she would. "Of course, what is it Harry? Has something happened?" Besides his entire life being turned upside down after the wards around Privet Drive had fallen? No, not at all… but she knew all about that already from their letters, so that wasn't what she was implying. Harry found himself chuckling despite his nervousness, and he shook his head as he sat down in the grass. "No… I just… I have to talk to someone about this, and I could really use some advice as well." He ran a hand through his messy hair as he prepared himself as Hermione lowered herself to the grass as well. Her eyes were expectant, but she didn't push him as she simply sat in silence as he told her about his first meeting with the two new Professors, about Simon being a Spellweaver, and how the two brothers had offered to help him.

And of course, there was this.. "I'm a Spellweaver too 'Mione… and Simon has offered me an Apprenticeship... and now I'm not sure what to do."

He steeled himself against the reaction which was sure to come, but to his surprise, Hermione remained completely silent as she took everything in, eyes distant as mulled everything he had just told her over. She stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, and Harry found himself fidgeting nervously as the silence stretched until it became almost unbearable. Just when he thought he wouldn't be able to take it anymore before exploding, Hermione opened her mouth, and her eyes were hard and determined as she spoke, and it was clear to him that the anger he detected in her voice was not aimed at him, but instead at the man who had vowed to protect him and take care of him. "A Spellweaver...? Why hasn't Dumbledore ever said anything, he can't not know about you being what you are!"

Oh, and how he could relate to that sentiment… Either Dumbledore had been as indifferent to him and his education and wellbeing as Simon had alluded to, or the old Headmaster had kept this from him for Merlin knew how long. Neither option sat well with him, and it had been bothering him ever since he'd found out he was indeed a Spellweaver. Hermione released an angry sigh, visibly forcing herself to relax as she dropped her hands in her lap and started to fidget with the edge of her robes, chewing her bottom lip in thought. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but was instantly hushed as she held up a hand, effectively shutting him up and he had to smile at the way her brow furrowed in concentration. Yes, he was glad he had told her… Hermione was smarter than him, he was man enough to admit that, and it was good to have a fresh outlook on this. Especially now that he couldn't trust Dumbledore anymore….

"I've read about Apprenticeships before, and while I've heard about Spellweavers I have to admit I'd have to study a lot more about that before I can say anything about that… but from what the I've just seen Professor Winchester do to Snape, it would be silly not accepting his offer. Apprenticeships are so rare now, but they didn't use to be. You do realize that, if you are to accept, that as your Master he will also take on the responsibility of overseeing the rest of your education? And that he will have a level of guardianship over you?"

And leave it to the walking Almanac to know about something as obscure as Apprenticeships…

In answer to her question, he had to admit that while he'd known about the education bit, he hadn't had a clue about the legal guardianship, so he simply shook his head. Her indignant huff caused him to look back at her sheepishly, and she released a deep breath before smiling, her face lighting up as she leaned forward and grabbed his shoulders. "Oh Harry, you can't know how jealous I am… From what you've just told me, this Simon Winchester can teach you so much. I think you should accept."

"Yes, I couldn't agree more."

The two teens jerked in shock and Harry scrambled to his feet as he whipped out his wand and whirled around to face the newcomer, noting with some satisfaction that Hermione had reacted the same way. His heart was beating in his throat, and he swallowed hard as the figure in front of them slowly raised his hands in a non threatening gesture, and Harry cast a quick _Lumos_ so he could see who had overheard them.

And felt his shoulders sag in relief at the now familiar face of Gabriel Winchester.

"Merlin's balls, you scared the shit out of me." Harry muttered, face turning red in shame at having been caught unaware like that, and he lowered his wand. At his side, Hermione did the same, albeit much more reluctantly, and Gabriel spoke as he crossed his arms. "Case of bad conscience Mr. Potter? I may not have been around here for all that long, but I do know that you are not supposed to be out after hours." And for a moment there, Harry really thought the man was serious, until a wide grin broke out on the older wizard's face, and the two teens found themselves instantly relaxing as the red haired Professor chuckled. "Relax kids, as far as I'm concerned, none of us were here this evening… And Harry, what your friend just said is true. An Apprenticeship is a good thing, and Simon has a lot to give if you let him. I was meaning to talk to you before, but we all witnessed what came up instead." Harry didn't miss the troubled look on the older wizard's face, but it was Hermione who spoke first. "How is he?"

Gabriel looked up at his classmate, a hint of surprise widening his eyes slightly before he forced another smile. But it was obvious this one wasn't genuine, as the expression didn't reach his eyes, and Harry didn't miss the frustration in Gabriel's voice as he answered Hermione's question. "He'll be alright, it wasn't nearly as bad as it looked."

While Harry doubted the truth of those words, he wasn't about to pressure the man, so the two teens simply nodded in acceptance as the red haired wizard turned around and started walking back, motioning for them to follow. They fell in step on either side of their new Defense Professor, and Harry looked up at the tall man as he asked the question which had been burning on his tongue from the moment the man had shown up. "How did you know we were there?"

Gabriel glanced at him and threw him a wink. "I have my ways. I'm really good at sneaking. Which reminds me of something else I've been meaning to tell you as Simon probably hasn't yet… If there's something you want to talk about, with us or now that your friend knows, with her, please know that our quarters are almost without exception available to you. They are warded against spying and most anything else you can imagine… that's Simon's paranoia for you. There's no need to sneak around and risk anyone you don't want to overhearing you. You're of course free to decide for yourself whether to take me up on this, but know that our door is always open to you."

The warmth that filled him at those words was overwhelming, and Harry smiled back at the older wizard, hoping the man would recognize what those words meant to him. Hermione was also struck speechless, and Harry exchanged a significant look with her as they continued on in silence. They would have to continue their conversation later, but already he felt almost sure of what his answer to Simon was going to be.

This year, things were going to change drastically it seemed...

"Thank you."


End file.
